


So Far South

by lonkneal (archweedkushgar)



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, chocked full of bad references, do we rly need ANOTHER high school au smh, of course theres a Christmas Chapter, this is cheesy as hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2017-01-24
Packaged: 2018-08-19 00:03:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 63,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8180861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archweedkushgar/pseuds/lonkneal
Summary: Link isn't doing so well in school. His parents send him to Georgia to set him straight.





	1. i

**Author's Note:**

> i really wanted to write a cowboy/country style au and it seemed like rhink was the best pairing for the job :^)  
> no disrespect intended to the real people behind this! everything in and about this story is fictional.  
> forgive mistakes! im extremely lazy l mao

“This is the end of the world.”  


“It’s not that bad, Link.” When she said it, Link shuffled his bags and stared hard back at her. The bus was about to leave, and he knew it. He wanted to run.  


“I can’t do this.” he said. This was a no negotiation situation he knew, it was what his mom had told him a thousand times in a row. Hearing it a thousand more times wouldn’t make Link want it any more.  


“You’re gonna have to,” Mom replied, “it’s what your step-dad and I want.”  


“Don’t call him that.” Link said. “Don’t call him my step-dad.”  


Link was met with a sigh, and his mom shook her head. She was exasperated, Link could tell--but at this moment in his life, he couldn’t find it in him to care. He was so hurt, so angry, so confused.  


“Go, Link. The bus is waiting.” Mom told him. They shared a long cold stare at one another, mother to son, before Link turned around, away from her. His fists clenched his carry-on so tightly his knuckles turned white. “I love you,” Mom called, her voice less than strong.  


But Link didn’t reply.  


There was nothing he could find himself to say as he boarded the bus, at least, nothing he cared to say in front of so many people. The words he had built inside of him stung going down, like that first taste of whisky, and it was a fire he’d decided, for once, to save. Let her have her final moment with Link, but he’d be damned if he’d give her the satisfaction of a response.  


The teen sat down in his bus seat and angrily peered out the window, trying to memorise every detail of North Carolina he could before he left for a year. But then he thought, how could Georgia be that different from here? The next thought was, _It’s different because they don’t know the trouble you cause, Link._  


Which was why he was in this predicament to begin with. The bus began to roll away, and all Link was left with was his thoughts. There was no doubt in his mind this was going to be the longest seven something hours of his life. There was always that book in his carry-on, the one about mythical creatures, but Link was definitely in no mood to read.  


So, he did the sensible thing and began to count the passing trees, about five miles out of Fayetteville. He got somewhere around seventy-six before he grew restless of it, only to discover that just five minutes had passed. Link groaned. He rested his head on the window and closed his eyes.  


The next time he opened his eyes, the bus had arrived in Columbia, South Carolina. His neck was cramped and his body sore, and he had a fleeting temptation to just depart from the bus there and run, run, run, never look back. Link found himself too weak to even shift, so instead, Link just lulled his head back towards the window and peered out at the evening sky.  


Link couldn’t help but think about how much he hated his life. That Jolene song by Dolly Parton was playing overhead, and suddenly he found he was fighting so hard not to cry, and those thoughts of self-hatred quickly became thoughts of how much he hated his family.  


The bus began moving again, somewhere after about five or ten minutes, and Link couldn’t even bring himself to cause mischief on the bus by this point. He was still too angry. He buried his fingers deep in his black hair and curled forward, groaning and grunting to himself in frustration. He didn’t even know what to do with himself.  


It was all he could do for the longest time. By the time the bus arrived at a rest stop, Link was oblivious to his surroundings, until he realised how loud his stomach was grumbling. He lifted his head, watched a few other passengers get off to relieve themselves. Slowly he stood himself.  


Walking into the stop, Link went straight for the food section and wondered how much longer he was going to have to sit on that stupid bus.  


Link pulled out the money from his pocket that his mom had given him. He counted it and found himself furious to discover it was only $2, and tried to figure out how that could possibly be enough for any snack. He glanced around the aisle subtly, checked for security cameras, then reached out and grabbed a handful of candy bars. He acted as though he put a couple back, waited until nobody was near, and made sure he wasn’t seen by the camera before stuffing them in his pocket. With that, he walked out of the rest stop and back onto the bus.  


Eating his candy bars killed a little bit more time, but it wasn’t long until he found himself completely and utterly bored all over again. Link had calmed down in the slightest, decided it was time to read. He pulled out his book on mythical creatures and opened it for the first page.  
Time flew by as he read more and more, until he happened across an old drawing hidden somewhere in the middle. He grabbed it carefully, felt his heart practically stop as he recalled what it was.  


For the first time that day, he smiled.  


Link read the writing at the top of the paper, above the drawing of the mythical beast. To Link, From Rhett, it read, and Link guessed it was from sometime around first grade, definitely from before Rhett moved back to Georgia.  


Suddenly things didn’t seem as bad as they originally had. His eyes scanned the picture for a long while before he placed it back in its spot and put the book away. He looked out at the sky and decided it’d be easier to sleep the rest of the way there.  


And he was right. Before he knew it, the bus had arrived at the stop in Atlanta. Link’s eyes fluttered open when all movement stopped for good, his hand reaching up to adjust his glasses. He stretched, looked around the bus that was emptying of the final passengers, and processed that it was around nine or so at night. Too tired to be stubborn, Link staggered to his feet and grabbed his carry-on. Silently, he followed behind the rest.  


The lights burnt Link’s eyes. He threw his carry-on over his shoulder and went to grab his suitcases, two exactly, that somehow had a year’s worth of things stuffed in them. He held them both in either hand with somewhat of a struggle and grunted, walking aimlessly and looking about.  


His eyes shortly fell upon a man holding a paper that read NEAL, assumed easily enough that was where he needed to go. Link slowly made his way to the man and his wife, groggy and slowly coming to terms with his frustration all over again, especially when he was smiled at. He watched as the paper was passed over to the woman at the man’s side.  


“Charles,” Mr. McLaughlin said, stepping to Link, “last time I saw ya, you only came up to my waist.”  


“Don’t call me that.” Link grumbled. Mr. McLaughlin laughed. It was something deep and hearty, somewhat uneasy. Link looked him over. He looked like a cowboy straight out of an old western movie, and Mrs. McLaughlin matched. They hadn’t changed much.  


“What would you prefer I call ya, then?” Mr. McLaughlin asked. Link averted his gaze.  


“Link.” he answered. Mr. McLaughlin and Mrs. McLaughlin looked at each other sceptically, but their smiles remained.  


“Why Link?” Mr. McLaughlin replied.  


“Charles Lincoln Neal III. Lincoln. Link. It’s not that hard.” Link said, voice less than polite. Mr. McLaughlin nodded, observed Link quietly, then reached out to take one of Link’s bags. Link passed it over, then silently followed the two adults to their car.  


Mr. McLaughlin helped Link put his suitcases in the back of the pickup, then opened the back door for the teen. Link crawled in silently, didn’t bother to buckle up. He stared out the window to the lights of the city, curling his lip in disgust when he heard the engine start.  


“It’ll take about an hour to get out to the ranch, so you can go right to sleep when we get there--the boy’s probably already sleeping. Tonight you can sleep on the couch and we’ll discuss everything tomorrow. Oh, and buckle in.” Mr. McLaughlin called back to him.  


“Whatever.” Link snapped, not bothering to buckle up, while the truck began lurching forward. As he watched the cityscape, he began to feel sorry for himself. The ride to McLaughlin Ranch seemed to go on forever, and truthfully, Link couldn’t possibly imagine just how slow the rest of the year was going to go.


	2. ii

Link sat straight up the moment he opened his eyes. He rubbed his face and reached over to grab his glasses from the coffee table, then sloppily pushed them on and shoved the blanket off of him.  


He yawned loudly and slowly got up to his feet, staggering his way around in attempt to find the kitchen. When he did find it, he discovered only Mrs. McLaughlin in the kitchen, reading a magazine at the table, which only had one plate of breakfast on the opposite side. Mrs. McLaughlin looked up at Link.  


“That’s yours, hon.” she smiled. Link hesitantly sat down at the table, next to his plate. There were buttery over easy eggs on one side, next to two nicely browned pieces of buttered toast. There was a small portion of salted hashbrowns in the middle, along with a couple pieces of crisp bacon and a glass of fresh milk. He stared hard at the glass of milk. He thought, _You know they’re happy together because the kids still get milk._  


Link lifted his fork and cut into one of his eggs. He lifted it to his lips and sucked it into his mouth, only to swallow it roughly and stare at his plate in alarm. The food was cold. He wondered if this was a cruel joke. Link shot an accusing stare right to Mrs. McLaughlin. “It’s cold.” he muttered.  


“Breakfast was at 6:30.” Mrs. McLaughlin said, not looking at him as she turned the page to her magazine. Link could feel the colour drain from his face. He stole a glance to the clock. It was somewhere close to 11:30AM. He had no idea how he was supposed to wake up that early. He furrowed his brows and silently ate.  


At some point, Mrs. McLaughlin got up and walked out the slide door from the kitchen. Link just kept his head down and sipped his milk. There wasn’t much worse than room temperature milk.  


Not five minutes later, Mrs. McLaughlin returned with Mr. McLaughlin, who was dirty and sweating and looked like he’d been in the hot August sun all day. Link stared at the man silently as he stuffed a forkful of hashbrowns in his mouth. There was something unsettling about Mr. McLaughlin.  


“Mornin’, Link.” Mr. McLaughlin said. He removed the hat from his head, a stereotypical cowboy hat.  


“Mornin’.” Link muttered. Mrs. McLaughlin took a seat.  


“You know why you’re out here, right boy?” Mr. McLaughlin asked as he leaned against a chair. He said it as if he didn’t know. Link furrowed his brows.  


“Yeah, ‘cause they say I’m trouble. I just destroy.” he grumbled, as if answering those things were second nature to him--they basically were now. Mr. McLaughlin nodded.  


“We’re gonna fix that.” he noted. Things were quiet for a moment, and suddenly, Link didn’t feel so hungry anymore. He rested his hands in his lap and stared at the table. “So I’ve got some rules we’re gonna set down now, and a chore chart. Remember these rules are subject to change.”  


Link felt his heart rise up in his throat, and the heat rise to his cheeks. He tried to tame the anger coming on, but he wasn’t sure if it was anger. He didn’t know what emotion it was. He didn’t have a name for it, but he knew he hated it.  


“First of all, we’ve made a chore chart. You’ll find a copy in the room you’ll be stayin’ in. Look at it when I dismiss you.” Mr. McLaughlin said, his voice more serious than before. Link winced, trying his hardest not to just stand up and leave right there. He held his tongue. “Next, breakfast is at 6:30, lunch is at 12:00, and supper is at 6:00 in the evening. You will wake up at 6:00 in the morning, and bedtime is 8:00 on school days, and 9:00 during summer and weekends. Curfew is 7:00. If you’re disrespectful or otherwise disobey, you will go to bed without supper.”  


Link’s head was already spinning. All he could do was nod his head so far. Mr. McLaughlin continued.  


“You will do all of your chores daily. You will use proper manners at all times, and address us as sir and ma’am. When you get home from school, your first priority is your homework, then your chores, and if you finish everything before bedtime, you can have free time. You’ll ask to be excused and you have to ask to before you go to the bathroom or shower. No swearing. Your clothes will be nice, along the lines of button-ups and holeless jeans.”  


“I… I don’t have those kind of clothes,” Link said coldly, fighting back the urge to get snappy as he slowly lifted his head in Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin’s direction. Mr. McLaughlin sniffed, rubbed his nose with a finger.  


“We’ll go out to town and buy you some ‘fore school starts. Now get up. I’ll show ya where you’re stayin’. Then go get cleaned up, get dressed, look at your chores, and get started.” he finished, stared at Link for a moment, then put his hat back on, and began to walk through the kitchen.  


Link gave a hopeful look across to Mrs. McLaughlin, praying she would somehow show sympathy, but she kept her eyes down on her magazine. Link looked at his plate, which still had a little left. Suddenly, he felt sick. Quietly, he got up and turned around to follow Mr. McLaughlin.  


It was only as they walked through the country style house that Link realised how massive it truly was. In reality, it wasn’t a huge house, but compared to the places Link had grown up, it almost felt like more than Link could comprehend.  


Mr. McLaughlin nudged open a door to the left, ushered Link inside. Link stared. There were two beds on either side, and it was definitely a cozy feeling room. The beds were made and looked like mountains of softness. There were a couple dressers and honestly, the room just had a lot of things going on. Link could tell which bed was his, because he saw the chore chart taped on the wall next to it, the one on the right hand side. He swallowed roughly and peered up at Mr. McLaughlin sceptically.  


“Who am I staying with?” he asked, but he already knew the answer. He didn’t want to say his name, not yet. He wanted to hear it for real first.  


“Rhett,” Mr. McLaughlin said, as if it was so simple. It caused Link’s chest to tighten. He thought he was gonna suffocate right there. “You’re staying with him ‘cause he’s going to make sure you don’t cause trouble during bedtime.”  


Link already detested the man. They were seventeen, they didn’t need a bedtime. Did Rhett have the same bed time as Link? Link scorned. He couldn’t hold his tongue another moment if his life depended on it.  


“Do you ever think about how much he probably resents you for how strict you are?” he spat. He could feel the fire in Mr. McLaughlin’s eyes as he looked at him. Link couldn’t bear to look, so his own stare flicked away. It was the silence that killed Link, not the way Mr. McLaughlin shoved him in the direction of his bed.  


When Mr. McLaughlin left the room, Link stuck up his middle finger at where the man had once been. Once he felt accomplished enough, he finally gathered himself together to look at this stupid chore list given to him. He adjusted his glasses, then leaned in to read it.  


Daily Chores  
● Do homework  
● Take out household trash  
● Do household laundry + fold, set it on the kitchen table when done  
● Do dishes after every meal + put dishes away  
● Clean the house  
● Feed animals + water  
● Check horses, clean hooves, brush them  
● Clean stables  
● Make your bed + put your stuff away  
● Read a chapter of the Bible  


Link reread the chore chart at least five times over. He couldn’t fathom how he was expected to do all of that in one day. He felt as though he was going to vomit. How could his mom do this to him? He wasn’t this bad he deserved this, was he?  


Dejected, he looked down to his suitcase. He figured he would get the putting his stuff away portion of that done, it seemed easy enough. Brooding, he picked up his suitcase and carried it over to what he assumed was his dresser.  


He knelt down and tugged open the bottom drawer, only to discover a small drawing stashed in the corner, as if it had been hidden there. It was a drawing of a sloppy mythical beast, with writing at the bottom of the paper this time, except it read, To Rhett, From Link. Fighting a smile, he closed the drawer and acted like he hadn’t seen it.  


All in all, it didn’t take him long to put everything away, change, use the washroom and get ready for what he was convinced would be the longest day of his life.  


On his way out, he didn’t even bother to take out the trash.  


Though it was simple for Link to find the stables, when he did, he found himself dreading it more and more, walking slower and slower. It was the tall figure leaning against the gate, watching the horses graze. He also wore one of those cringy cowboy hats, shielding his face from the humid Georgia sun, his long legs stretched in front of him, the heels of his cowboy boots dug in the mud. Link couldn’t decide if he was sweating from the heat or his nerves.  


When they were no more than ten feet apart, the tall figure looked in Link’s direction, and Link found himself frozen in place. His heart was beating in his ears. It was pure silence again.  


“Why didn’t you ever write me back?” Rhett asked. Link’s mouth went dry, his blood ran cold.  


“I--I-I was--I--” he found himself stammering. Rhett stood up straight, adjusted his hat, and began to walk towards Link. Rhett was at least seven inches taller. It was like he’d grown an inch each year they had been apart.  


When Rhett was finally towering above Link, Link thought his knees were going to give out. Then, Rhett smiled. Link didn’t understand. He felt sick again. He winced when Rhett clapped his large hand down upon Link’s shoulder.  


“I know it’s been hard for you. It’s all fine.” said Rhett. Link was floored as he stared up at Rhett. He took a long hard look at the other’s face. Not much had changed since they were ten, but he definitely looked older. And taller. Certainly taller.  


They stared just like that at each other for what seemed like forever. When Rhett finally released Link’s shoulder, he stepped back twice as well. Rhett turned around. “So what’s the old man got scheduled for ya? I’m assuming somethin’ with horses.”  


Link was hesitantly watching Rhett walk to the stables. He remained still in his place, awkward as ever, watching the boy that was once his best friend. He wished it was still that way. He wondered what life would be like now. At least, life with Rhett. He realised Rhett was looking back at him, waiting.  


“It doesn’t matter today anyway,” Rhett grinned. “I already got it done this mornin’.” Link swallowed hard. Rhett turned back around, placed his hands on his hips, stared at Link. “You’ve gotten kinda quiet.”  


“I’m sorry,” Link choked out, immediately dipping his head down. It wasn’t often Link said he was sorry, but there he was, telling this boy, this man, that he was sorry, and not for anything in particular, just in general.  


“It’s fine, I think it’s all kinda dumb to begin with. I take care of the horses anyway.” Rhett excused, laughing weakly as he pocketed his hand. Link shook his head quickly, keeping his stare fixed on his own shoes. He could feel his glasses slipping.  


“Not that.” Link said. Despite the fact he wasn’t looking, he could feel Rhett’s stare. Again, Link swallowed down that hard lump in his throat. “For giving up on us.”  


Link could tell that Rhett was taken aback by the silence that followed. Horses neighed in the distance, time seemed to move slow. Link stayed unmoving.  


“You didn’t.” Rhett decided after a long while. Link finally lifted his eyes on Rhett, watched him remove his hat for a moment. His greased blond hair was sticking to the sweat on his forehead. “We both,” he paused again. “We both did.”  


And the day only seemed to get longer after that.  


The only two things he did on the list (save for putting away his things) were cleaning the whole house and putting away already washed dishes in a fairly sloppy way. Mr. McLaughlin had taken them back out four times, and every time Link to had put them away, until Mrs. McLaughlin finally sneaked in and showed Link how to do it when Mr. McLaughlin left. She’d even given him a glass of her specialty sweet tea, made the authentic southern way.  


But all of it had taken all day. Despite Mrs. McLaughlin trying to get him to eat lunch, Link insisted he had no appetite and continued to clean. It was a secret of Link’s, that he actually enjoyed the task of cleaning. Nobody really guessed this, as he was notorious for his destruction. He liked to think he had a method behind that madness. Not that anybody had asked.  


By the time he was done, it was time for dinner. He could smell it throughout the whole house, and despite his sour mood, his stomach rumbled, and loudly too. The moment he heard his name called, he dropped everything and hurried to the kitchen. Before he was seated at the table, he was instructed to wash his hands. He figured the others already had, considering they were already seated.  


Link awkwardly took the open seat next to Rhett. He noticed at some point Rhett had fixed his hair up and nice, but it was still greasy as ever. Link couldn’t judge him. Link’s hair was just as greasy, if not more, and not from working either; just from being right lazy.  


Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin joined hands, then reached to Rhett and Link’s with their open hands. Rhett took his mother’s, then reached for Link’s. Everyone was staring at him expectantly. Sceptically, maybe even nervously, he joined hands with Rhett and Mr. McLaughlin. He watched as the others closed their eyes and hung their heads.  


“For this and all we are about to receive, make us truly grateful, Lord. Through Christ we pray. Amen.” prayed Mr. McLaughlin. At the end, Rhett and Mrs. McLaughlin uttered a soft, “amen,” and Link said it somewhat quickly when he realised what was happening.  


Their hands parted and the family began reaching for the food. Link eyed the table in fascination. There was buttery corn on the cob, salted just right, and a large bowl of creamy mashed potatoes. Fluffy buttermilk biscuits were somewhere in the middle. Four ribeyes cooked perfectly on medium rare were piled up next to two bottles of different steak sauce, and the three on the top were quickly taken by the McLaughlin's.  


Rhett looked over at Link and noticed he wasn’t moving, just uncomfortably staring. He smiled, patted his shoulder, then reached out and placed the last steak on Link’s empty plate. Link warily looked at him. “Eat up.” Rhett smiled.  


“Thanks.” Link muttered.  


Once everyone’s plate was filled, the dinner conversation began. Link poured a little pool of steak sauce down on the side of his plate. “School starts in a couple weeks,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Link lifted his cob of corn in correspondence with Rhett. “You still gonna be in basketball?”  


“Have been every year.” Rhett answered through his bite. Link peeked over at Rhett. Well, he was certainly tall enough for it.  


“What about you, Link? Gonna join any clubs?” Mr. McLaughlin asked. Link froze in place. He held his corn perfectly still.  


“I don’t know,” Link muttered. “Maybe not.”  


“Well, I think it’s healthy to join a club or sport. I think you should.” Mr. McLaughlin insisted. Link shot a glare across the table. He was trying to refrain himself. He really was.  


“Maybe a journalism club, then.” Link said roughly in defeat. Mr. McLaughlin watched him for a moment as he took a bite off his steak. When he was done chewing, he replied.  


“What about an engineering club?” he pressed. “Rhett is in that one.”  


“I don’t know.” Link returned, his voice finally above a mumble. “I actually think I’m going to go for the gay-straight alliance.”  


Link grinned smugly when Mr. McLaughlin sputtered, Mrs. McLaughlin looked as though she was going to drop right there, and Rhett stared at him with his big wild eyes. The moment Rhett began fighting his laughter, Link knew he was still the same Rhett he’d been best friends with all those years ago.  


He could tell Mr. McLaughlin was fighting so hard not to yell at him right then and there when he collected himself. Mr. McLaughlin cleared his throat, wiped the edges of his mouth. “I hope you mean that for the straight part.” was all he said.  


Link didn’t answer, just because it tickled him pink to leave Mr. McLaughlin guessing.  


Once dinner had finished, it seemed like time flew by to nine that night. And when Mr. McLaughlin found out Link hadn’t done a good portion of his chores, to say he was mad was an understatement.  


Both boys were laying in their beds, making small gab and catching up when the bedroom door flew open, and in came a livid Mr. McLaughlin with one hand balled into a fist and the other carrying a Bible. He stomped up to a somewhat horrified Link, used one hand to grab him roughly by the shirt of his pyjamas and used the other to shove the Bible into his chest. When they were at face level, Link was staring at the man in horror.  


“You’re gonna read five chapters of this book tonight. You’re not to stop ‘til you’ve read ‘em. When you’re done, you’re gonna sleep. Do you hear me, boy?” he shouted, staring hard at Link. Link stared back like a deer in headlights, swallowed hard. Mr. McLaughlin shook him forcefully. “Do you?”  


“Yes, yes!” Link cried, struggling in Mr. McLaughlin’s grip. Mr. McLaughlin shoved him back and let him go. While he turned to leave the room, he pointed at his son, who was watching him warily.  


“Get your ass to bed.” he roared. Rhett winced, immediately laying down.  


“Yes, sir.” he hurriedly sputtered. He turned his back to Link and stared at the wall as Mr. McLaughlin exited and slammed the door shut behind him.  


Link’s heart was pounding. He skittishly stole a look across at Rhett, and after a least a minute of silence, Link reached back to turn on his lamp. His shaking hands picked up his glasses and dropped them at least three times before he got them on his face. Quietly, he lifted the Bible, and began to read.


	3. iii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: assault

On Wednesday, Mrs. McLaughlin took Link out to go clothes shopping. The ride to Macon was quiet and seemed to go on for a long time, but not quite forever, like the initial bus ride there. Though he hadn’t been there long, Link just wanted to go back to Buies Creek, however terrible it was. 

The knowledge not even his dad would take him back made it hurt all the more. He rested his cheek in his palm.

When they were trying on clothes, it wasn’t that Link hated the clothes he was getting, it was that he wasn’t used to wearing them. That and he was a wee bit bitter that it was all for Mr. McLaughlin.

The days that Link had lived at McLaughlin Ranch so far seemed like hell. Everything was strict and so far, he’d been reading an average of five chapters of the Bible each night for not listening as well as he could. Had it been a normal household, he would’ve been doing extremely well. Being in the country proved that he was doing much better than he was in his hometown.

Mrs. McLaughlin was nice enough to him. She always brought Rhett and Link ice cold glasses of sweet tea while they were outside with the horses, and she always excused him to the washroom before he even asked.

Things were still awkward with Rhett. They talked while they were together, but neither made a point to go purposely find each other and hang out. Link hoped that would change soon.

The clothes the McLaughlin's purchased for Link were definitely out of the ordinary for him. They actually fit him for a change, and in honesty, he looked nice. Mrs. McLaughlin went the extra mile and purchased a cowboy hat to go along with it, not that Link planned on wearing it. It was the thought that counted.

On the ride home, the day seemed to get better. They listened to Lionel Richie the whole way home, and at some point, Link got comfortable enough to sing along with Mrs. McLaughlin. In the past few years, Link had acquired a taste of rock’n’roll, but he would always have a soft spot for Lionel Richie and Merle Haggard.

When they got back to the ranch, things went back to the way they had been. He went about half-assing his chores and pausing to eat lunch, and going back to his chores. But like most things in Link’s life, things took a turn for the worst.

“Link, come in here.” Mr. McLaughlin called from the kitchen. Link looked up from his work in the kitchen, distrusting of whatever it was Mr. McLaughlin wanted. Hesitantly, he dropped his progress and walked in. 

Mrs. McLaughlin was sitting at the table, but Mr. McLaughlin was standing there, one hand resting on the back of a chair and the other holding a towel. Link stopped in the archway, warily watching the man. He looked at the table. There were scissors and a trimmer. He took one small step back, paling.

“Come sit down,” Mr. McLaughlin instructed. Link stared hard.

“No,” he spat. “No.”

“Link, come on.” Mr. McLaughlin repeated firmly. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

“You’re not cutting my hair.” Link warned. He lifted his hands to protectively place them over his head. “You can’t take it away from me too. It’s all that I have left. You can’t have it.” Mr. McLaughlin draped the towel on the chair.

“Link,” he said, stepping towards the teen. Link watched him for a moment more before spinning around and running as fast as he possibly could through the house. Both Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin called his name and not long after, he heard boots running after him. His heart pounded hard against his chest.

Was it worth it? Was it all worth it? Nothing he had done in his life was bad enough for him to deserve this. Absolutely nothing. He felt like he wasn’t allowed to have anything anymore. Not a family, not a friendship with Rhett, not freedom, and now he couldn’t even have his hair.

Link shoved open the front door hard and sprinted out and down the driveway. He gritted his teeth and sprinted for the thick autumn trees, praying to any god that would listen. He refused to look back, but in the distance, he could hear Mr. McLaughlin shouting his name. If he pressed his body any further than he was, he was sure he was going to just collapse right there.

Just mere moments before he reached those tall trees of autumn, safe in the forest, strong arms wrapped hard around his abdomen and plucked him out of the air like he was a feather. He fought with all of his strength, kicked, punched, whatever he could as Mr. McLaughlin carried him into the house. It was a sight to behold; the grown man carrying the seventeen year old down the drive.

Link shouted and screamed, face as red as a fire, the fire ignited in his chest. It was enough so that Rhett came running from the stables to investigate. The moment Mr. McLaughlin entered the house, Link still fighting in his arms, he kicked the door shut and set Link down roughly on the floor.

The slap that graced Link’s face was hard enough to send him flying back to the ground and the glasses flying across the floor. He could hear Rhett come in the front door, loudly asking what was happening, as Link held his throbbing cheek in shock. It was like something clicked in Link, and he realised he couldn’t run anymore.

He blinked a few times in a row, dazed, and rotated his head away from Mr. McLaughlin. Now Mr. McLaughlin was yelling at him, but all the words were jumbled in his head. His cheek was throbbing. The words only processed when he was nudged with Mr. McLaughlin’s boot.

“Get up!” When it hit Link, Link scrambled to his feet as fast as he possibly could, not even bothering to reach for his glasses. Mr. McLaughlin pushed him in the direction of the kitchen. Link stumbled backwards.

“Hey, you don’t need to touch him like that.” Rhett barked at Mr. McLaughlin, standing over him. Link finally realised how much taller Rhett was than Mr. McLaughlin. Like a frightened dog, he scurried into the kitchen without his glasses and took a seat without a word more.

Never before had he ever been hit like that. He’d been hit before, sure, but never like that, never so forcefully, never over something so petty. He was too horrified to be angry, but it would come.

Mrs. McLaughlin was sitting at the table, looking across at Link’s face. She didn’t dare stand. Link could only look at her out of his peripheral vision, shaking like a leaf the entire time. Mr. McLaughlin finally came in wordlessly, put the towel around Link, and roughly grabbed the shaggy hair at the sides of his head.

“Let’s shear these wings,” he said.

And he did.


	4. iv

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: nightmares, anxiety

“I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

All around him, it was dark. Link was sure his eyes were open, but considering he could see nothing surrounding him, he could not confirm it. Wherever he was, it was cramped, cold, miserable. He could hear the prayer, but it was something muffled, slowly becoming more and more distorted.

Suddenly, he could feel strands of cut hair dropping on his face. He opened his mouth to call out, but when he tried, it fell into his mouth instead. He began choking on the strands. It was gritty, itchy. It felt like the hair wouldn’t stop coming, suffocating him, wrapping around his body and holding him firmly in place.

Every time Link tried to scream, he could hear nothing but the sound of Mrs. McLaughlin sobbing, or Rhett chanting, “Linkstar! Linkstar! Linkstar!”  
Link hadn’t the slightest of ideas what Linkstar meant. But it only got louder and louder, until that blackness became the stars in the sky, and Rhett was still chanting, “Linkstar!” and pointing up at those stars, but every time Link looked over Rhett, he could see strands of the hair Mr. McLaughlin shaved off pouring out of Rhett’s mouth. And then he was back in darkness, and the preacher was going,

“But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’”

Smoke filled his nostrils and his lungs and Link realised he was dead.

That was always when Link woke up, and he woke up sweating and panting. He’d had the same dream every night for at least a week. Every morning, Rhett woke up with him, always an hour early from when they were supposed to wake up. He was waking up now.

“Have that dream again?” Rhett asked. Link always felt guilty. That morning was no exception.

“Yeah,” he said. Rhett was sitting up, shirtless, hair ruffled, as he looked across the dark room at Link. Link thought he could see a faint smile.

“Don’t worry. I’m here.” Rhett reassured, and Link found his heart beating a little more for Rhett. He held his hands in his lap, swallowing hard. Despite it had been a week and a half or so, he still wasn’t used to his haircut. Regardless of the fight he put up during it, he thought he looked nice with it, at least when Rhett helped him style it. “Do you know what today is?”

“Uh… Monday?” Link answered, but it was unsure. Rhett rubbed his eyes and inhaled heavily.

“Well, yeah, but the first day of school.” he reminded. Link repressed a groan, instead just tiredly staring at the wall. Of course he wouldn’t be well rested on the first day of school. Through it all, a small smile found its way to his lips.

“Hey, Rhett, do you remember the first day of school we had before you moved back here?” he asked groggily, and Rhett immediately began to laugh that hearty laugh of his. He slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle it, careful not to reveal they were already awake.

“And you spilt chocolate milk on your new khakis, so I poured my carton on my pants too and they called us both ‘pee-pants’ up ‘til the day I left?” Rhett managed to giggle out as quietly as he could, leaning forward. Link covered his mouth as well, trying to refrain his own laughter.

“They still call me ‘pee-pants.’” he choked out, finally snorting somewhat loudly on accident. This resulted in Rhett laughing harder, pounding his fist on his bedding in amusement. They sat around for a good fifteen minutes.

When they finally got up and ready for school, they were still giggling over it. It was a challenge to pull themselves together when they walked out to the living room. The clock was at 6:24. Mrs. McLaughlin was cooking and Mr. McLaughlin was no doubt reading the morning paper. Rhett turned on the television, changed the channel to whichever channel the news was on.

“You really watch the news every morning?” Link had to ask, looking over at Rhett. Rhett shrugged his shoulder. He itched at his beard, which had been trimmed down significantly. Link was still in awe that Rhett could even grow a beard at his age.

“I’d prefer to watch cartoons, but if Dad walked in and saw that, I’d never hear the end of it,” Rhett admitted, laughing lightly as he said it. Link almost smiled, but bitter feelings returned to him all over again. 

His recurring dream came back to him. He wondered what it was supposed to mean. What if it was a premonition, that he would die? But that wouldn’t explain “Linkstar” or why there was smoke. The more he thought about it, the more anxiety began to build, the more he could feel the stagnant breeze of chill on the sides of his head, the more he could feel that hair locked up in his throat, scratching, scratching, scratching--

“Breakfast is done, boys!” Mrs. McLaughlin called from the kitchen. Link swallowed down a lump in his throat, wondering if he even had an appetite. Rhett got up and walked into the kitchen, and a moment or two later, Link joined him.

Link had it down by this point. He joined hands with the McLaughlin's, hung his head down, and stared at his plate while the others closed their eyes. “Bless us, O Lord, and these gifts which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord.”

“Amen,” everyone said in unison. Everyone began to break their fast. Link eyed the food. Buttery scrambled eggs with green onions and cheese, crispy salted hashbrowns, two browned sausage links, and a tall cup of orange juice. His stomach rumbled, but he couldn’t decide if it was because he was hungry or because his stomach was upset.

Of course, Link was now used to these breakfasts, but with his unease that morning, all of the rich food (that would otherwise look delicious) just made him feel sick. He went for the hashbrowns, which seemed like they’d upset his stomach the least.

He couldn’t help but wonder what his step-siblings were eating for breakfast. He had doubt that they would even be up this early, on second thought. He pondered how the hell he’d gotten to this point in his life, why he’d let himself get to the point of pretty much having to be re-raised.

Breakfast ended on a silent note. Or maybe there had been words, but Link hadn’t processed them, or even recollected them. It was the same way onto the bus, and into Macon School District.

Stepping off the bus and looking at the establishment, Link was absolutely floored. It was the official realisation he truly was in Georgia, not North Carolina. The school was enormous, and it was only the high school part. It was definitely nothing compared to Buies Creek.

As they walked up to the steps of the district, Link pressed close to Rhett as not to get lost in the huge crowds of other students. He could feel himself beginning to shake in fear, or maybe it was anxiety, or maybe it was both.

“Did you ever get your schedule, Link?” Rhett asked, looking down to the shorter boy at his side. Link gulped, peering up in response.

“No, I didn’t.” he confessed. Rhett nodded, smiling in the caring way he always did as he guided Link to the office.

Despite the fact Link knew he should’ve cared, he couldn’t find it in him to do so. That whole morning was a blur for him. The whole school day was, regardless of how many times Rhett tried to gently guide him on the right track. He didn’t pay attention once during anything. At some point, he even found himself hiding in the boy’s washroom, wishing he was anywhere but there. While he was hiding in the stall, smoke came in through the cracks and filled his nostrils. He immediately recognised it as pot, but anything pertaining to smoke made him feel uneasy that day.

It was only when they were back at McLaughlin Ranch that Link could feel some relief. He didn’t even mind locking himself in his bedroom for homework, as he needed to recharge anyway. He still neglected to do his homework. He simply sat on his bed and rocked back and forth.

Before long, Rhett entered the room. Link had expected it, but nevertheless, he dreaded the encounter. He hated feeling--looking--so vulnerable. He wanted to turn away, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

Rhett sat down on the edge of Link’s bed. Link wanted to curl away from him, but he found himself frozen in place. His eyes locked with Rhett’s. He’d forgotten what eye colour Rhett had. He stared for a long while into his eyes, taking in the shades as if he were seeing colours for the first time.

“You doin’ okay, Link?” Rhett asked. Link’s blood ran cold. He couldn’t recall the last time somebody asked him if he was okay.

 _No,_ Link thought, _I’m not okay. I haven’t been okay since the day you fucking left. My life has been a giant disaster since I had to suffer a day without your friendship, and I can’t seem to fix it. I don’t know if I even want to fix it. The only way I feel like I belong anymore is by stealing, and breaking things, and painting graffiti, and all the other illegal activities I’m not supposed to be doing. I don’t feel loved anymore. I haven’t for a long time… and nobody seems to care anymore._

“Yeah,” said Link instead. Rhett smiled at Link and reached out to pat his shoulder. Link looked away from the smile. He couldn’t bring himself to take it in.

“If you’re sure, man.” Rhett said. He glanced around the room for a moment before returning his attention back to Link. “If you need anything though, I’m here for ya. Just remember that, okay, buddy?”

Link was appalled. He didn’t believe what he’d just heard. He couldn’t. He adjusted the glasses on his face. At the perfect moment, Mrs. McLaughlin tapped on the door and poked her head in. Link continued to stare off blankly.

“Rhett, will you come help me for a minute, baby?” she asked softly. Rhett had the grace to blush.

“Mom,” he whined with an embarrassed laugh, but stood up nevertheless and began to exit the room. When Link was alone, he finally allowed himself to feel, and he cried.


	5. v

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: prescription drug abuse

When Cole came to visit around mid-September, Link was finally beginning to get into the swing of what he was supposed to be doing… not that he did it half the time anyway. He was no stranger to going to bed hungry, and he had enough of the Bible memorised that he just recited to Mr. McLaughlin when he got in trouble.

Rhett and Link seemed to be getting on better with every passing day. They helped each other with homework, sometimes Rhett would help Link clean, and they would even share laughs together. They weren’t yet back on their “best friend” basis, but it was slowly getting there amidst the chaos of Link’s life.

Cole had came down to bring Rhett an extremely early birthday present, as he couldn’t make it in October. Cole’d been visiting for about five hours now, and hadn’t said one word to Link. Not that Link had said anything to him, either. He’d been too busy cleaning out the stables and hanging out with the horses.

Of course, he’d neglected his other responsibilities that day (as was usual), but he’d taken a liking to the horses. Well, one in particular. The only horse out of the three that actually liked him.

The mare, a paint horse with a beautiful white and red coat, acted like she was too good for Link half the time. Her name was Madame, and she hadn’t quite warmed up to anyone save for Rhett. It was amusing, really, as she was closing in on six years, and from the time she was a filly, she apparently only welcomed Rhett.

Then there was the colt, an ugly yellow quarter horse with black legs, mane and tail. He was named Traveller, after General Robert E. Lee’s horse, and with that knowledge, Link always felt uneasy when he thought about it. Whoever the McLaughlin’s adopted him from had consciously named him that, and the McLaughlin’s kept it. Traveller kept his distance from Link, and in return, Link kept his.

Finally, there was Lightning, the large gelding that seemed to get on well with Link. Lightning was an Appaloosa, dark with a pop of white on his rear end. He was a big friendly thing, always trotted right up to Link and waited patiently for attention. Link always obliged.

Cole had gotten Rhett some giant wooden carving, Link had seen briefly before being ushered off. From the looks of it, Rhett was ecstatic. It lead him to think about what he could possibly get Rhett to top that.

That had been at around 8:00 that Saturday morning. Link had been out with the horses since then, and by now the sun was high in the sky, starting to lean more towards the west. He enjoyed Lightning, sure, but he had his limit of how much he could take in one sitting. He stared longingly at the house.

Suddenly, he wondered if his mom had tried to call him at all yet. It had been almost a month and a half, and still, he’d heard no word from her. He hadn’t received a call from his dad yet, either. Maybe they had forgotten about him.

Or worse, maybe they had just stopped caring about him. He would never forget the look on Mom’s face that night in the police station. The pain in her eyes, the disappoint… Link just knew that was the exact second her love for him began to fade. It’s your fault, Link recalled those exact words, the words that were practically tattooed on his heart by this point, and not in a good way. 

There was the sensation of lingering tears in his eyes, the kind that didn’t fall but simply welled up and remained. He swallowed hard and realised he was still staring at the house. He wondered what terrible things Rhett and Cole had done to the McLaughlin's, if anything. They were a picture perfect family, and that hurt more than anything else.

Link recalled the codeine in the washroom cabinet, kept for Rhett’s back. Something he was too stubborn to use most of the time, but there were days Rhett complained about the pain. Link wasn’t even aware of Rhett’s back issues until a few days ago, but at that moment, the thought hit him full force, and what hit him more were the thoughts of the pills, pills for numbing pain.

His legs started walking briskly around the back of the house, before he even bothered to give it a second thought.

There were three ways into the house. First there was the front door, which would be too obvious. It had the slightest of squeaks, and when it was opened, there was this subtle change of noise or airflow or what have you from the living room to the kitchen, which is where the McLaughlin's were, last Link had checked.

Then there was the kitchen side door, which was off limits at the time, for obvious reasons. Link wasn’t dumb.

Lastly, there was in through the garage. It was on the other side of the house and if he took extra care, he could sneak inside as silent as a mouse. Then he’d have to slide past the living room, which was a lowkey risk as you could see into the kitchen (vice versa) at the right angle, and go down the hallway to the washroom.

Alternatively, Link could sneak around and crawl in through their bedroom window. He could simply walk out through the bedroom, into the hall, and finally to the washroom. If he took off his shoes, he could easily, and quietly, glide across the floor. If Link remembered right, the window was still open, as he and Rhett had been opening it to allow a cool draft in at night.

He decided that would be the safest way, albeit the most difficult to enter, but it would be easy to sneak through to the washroom. All of that effort, just to steal a couple pretty pills that nobody would miss.

Link slid around the house, taking extra precaution to avoid the area around the kitchen. Thankfully, the bedroom was on the other side of the house as well. He peered up at the window. Though Link was rather tall (6’0, still shorter that 6’7 Rhett), the sill had about a foot on him. He looked down at the side of the house and kicked off his shoes. The house was in impeccable condition. If he scaled the wall and scraped at it with his shoes, it would show and he just knew he’d be caught.

He crawled up on a rock and used it to push himself up, grab the very end of the sill. He grunted and tugged himself up, feet scrambling upwards to continue scaling. He almost lost his footing and grip, but right at the last second, he tumbled into the room through the window.

Link glided across the room and into the hall, turning and going straight to the washroom. His heart was pounding hard in his chest. He could hear the McLaughlin's laugh loudly over something in the kitchen. There was no relief quite like entering the washroom.

Leaving the light off, as the loud fan went off when you flicked the switch, he sneaked over to the cabinet. He opened the cabinet and dug around as quietly as he could, until he found the prescription that read, RHETT J MCLAUGHLIN, CODEINE 30MG. He popped the cap open and poured five pills into his hand, about 150mg. There was the slightest of hesitation and thoughts of, _What am I doing?_ before he ultimately dropped them into his mouth, put the cap on, put it away, and ran the sink as quietly as he could the wash the pills down with water.

Link almost immediately felt regret, then guilt. He stared at himself in the mirror. He noticed he had stubble coming in, and the dark bags he’d become so acquainted with were finally beginning to disappear. He wondered if that was a good thing, meaning that he was well rested, and his stress levels were low. He certainly didn’t feel that way.

Almost immediately, he began to feel different. His shoulders relaxed in the slightest. He wondered if he was going to die. He’d never taken codeine before, but he knew what it would do. He should’ve considered before dropping five pills on his tongue.

Suddenly, the noise of boots walking down the hall echoed in Link’s ears. He could physically feel the colour drain from his face. With a slight delay, he rushed behind the open washroom door, crouching down and sitting with his knees hugged to his chest in the darkness. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it was going to beat out of him. His body was so confused. It was entering a state of relaxation, but he was so paranoid and on edge that it was hard to tell. He could hear voices, but it was hard to focus on them, and he thought he could process the words, but realised he couldn’t remember them shortly after they were said.

“...to get to see y’all again, Rhett.” That was Cole’s voice, it had to be. He closed his eyes and let Rhett’s words come.

“Yeah, it is. I can’t thank you enough for the present, man. It’s awesome.” Rhett said. Link wondered what they were doing, walking down this hall out of all halls.

“Use it to impress your girlfriend.” Cole teased. Link’s chest felt like fire at the comment. He blushed hard, trying to convince himself that he wasn’t je--

“I-I don’t have a girlfriend,” returned Rhett nervously. Link felt his throat tighten, even though the rest of his body was relaxing.

“What? Really?” Cole asked. From the sound of it, he sounded extremely shocked. If there was one thing Link remembered about Rhett, it was that he was girl crazy, even as young as they were before they were separated. Recalling that, he supposed the concept of it was shocking to him as well. “Have ya got eyes for anyone?”

Rhett released a soft, nervous laugh. Link’s heart fluttered. After a moment of hesitation, he could hear Rhett bashfully say, “...w-well, yeah, I think so, maybe.”

“What’s her name?” Cole pressed. Link was hardly looking forward to hearing whatever girl Rhett was going to say.

“Ah, it’s, uh--doesn’t really matter, does it?” Rhett laughed.

Link’s heart almost stopped when Cole and Rhett entered the washroom, and the light flicked on. He held his breath and squeezed his eyes shut as hard as he could, to act as though everything was fine. He listened as the medicine cabinet opened, his stomach doing violent flops. He felt like they would somehow know he’d just been in there.

“Give me a break, Rhett. I haven’t been gone that long. You’ve always talked about girls, what’s different now?” Cole teased. Rhett cleared his throat.

“Well, for starters, it was always when Mom and Dad weren’t up,” he insisted, but Link could tell it was a lie. “Where’s the dang bug spray?”

Cole snorted, but dropped the subject. “You sure it wasn’t misplaced? I don’t see it.”

“That’s probably what happened. It might be in mine and Link’s room, actually. We’ve been keepin’ the window open at night ‘cause of this dang heat that never seems to go away. I didn’t want him to get all bit up, so I insisted I spray him down before we hit the hay.” Rhett clarified. Link couldn’t fight a smile at that.

“How has Link been adjustin’? I haven’t seen much of him.” Cole asked. Link thought to himself, _Absolutely terrible, thanks for asking._

“I think it’s been really hard on him. Dad’s not bein’ lenient at all on him, but I guess he’s just doin’ what Mrs. Neal asked him to, ya know?” Rhett said. There was a brief quiet. “I hope he’s doin’ okay out there with the horses. I don’t know if he’s just bein’ antisocial or Dad just didn’t want him inside or what.”

“Has Link changed since the last time y’all seen each other?” Cole asked. Link could hear them shuffling, getting ready to exit the washroom again. Rhett chuckled.

“Oh yeah. He’s gotten a little weird.” he noted. Link’s blood ran cold. His eyes flashed open at this comment. He began to eavesdrop a little harder. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s totally great to see him again, to be with him again, you know, but it’s… different trying to connect with him.” The light shut off and they began stepping out. “He straight up refuses to open up about anything. He’s really angsty all the time, too. He’s out here ‘cause apparently he was causin’ trouble in Buies Creek and the school, his grades were slippin’... I wonder what happened.”

Rhett and Cole’s voices were getting softer as they walked back down the hall. Link had his brows furrowed, and he felt anger rise within him. It was his own fault Rhett felt that way, but that didn’t mean hearing it didn’t hurt. “His parents were probably gettin’ sick of him.”

“I guess,” Rhett said, but it was hesitant and doubtful. Their voices were echoing, and Link was struggling to stand up. His muscles were relaxing, and physically, he felt relaxed, but emotionally, he felt paranoid, angry, sad, all the opposite feelings of euphoric. He stumbled out from behind the door.

“I’ve always thought he was a little off,” Cole commented. Rhett was quiet for a moment, Link noticed. He hoped it was out of disgust, but he was wrong. He was always wrong.

“Maybe.” Rhett agreed, and Link couldn’t hold back anymore. He was just beginning to warm up to Rhett again, only to have that come crumbling down, too. He was numb, so numb. “But I think that’s why I li--”

“Glad to hear that’s what y’all think of me.” Link cried out, revealing himself from the washroom. Rhett and Cole both jumped, twirling around to look back at the other. Rhett’s face immediately darkened in a shade of red, abashed.

“Link, where’d you come from? We thought you were outside,” Rhett couldn’t help but ask. Link fumed, lips pursed together hard. The world spun around him.

“That’s what you were hopin’ for, huh, so you could keep talkin’ about me behind my back?” Link retorted. In correspondence, he could hear heavier boots beginning to come in from the kitchen.

“Link, oh, no, th-that’s not what I meant to do at all, I’m so sorry,” Rhett sputtered frantically. Deep down Link knew that Rhett genuinely felt bad, but he was too passionate to truly comprehend it.

“Fuck you! My parents do love me, and they weren’t sick of me, fuck you!” Link shouted, voice cracking midway through. But they don’t love me, and he was right, they are sick of me, rang the voice in Link’s head.

Mr. McLaughlin came barrelling past his two sons and grabbed Link, immediately beginning to drag him down the hall towards the kitchen. “First of all,” he began, loudly, “I told you to stay outside with them horses! Second of all, no goddamn swearing!”

“Dad! Let him go!” Rhett exclaimed, bounding after. Cole awkwardly followed, in shock, unsure of how to react. Link’s body felt too sedated to put up a fight. 

“Since he wants to use a dirty mouth, I’m gonna clean it.” Mr. McLaughlin insisted, walking to the sink. Mrs. McLaughlin was sitting at the table, anxiously watching the scene. Cole walked over to stand behind her. Rhett followed his dad.

“Dad, stop it!” Rhett demanded. Mr. McLaughlin used a hand to shove Rhett back by the others, then extended it out for the Dawn dish soap. “Dad, knock it off!”

“He won’t learn any other way,” Mr. McLaughlin defended. Rhett almost looked as though he was going to fight, but it was obvious he didn’t have the heart to do it. He skittishly stepped back towards Cole and Mrs. McLaughlin, but still added his two cents.

“He definitely ain’t gonna learn by doin’ this,” he protested. Mr. McLaughlin released Link, obviously a bit shocked by his lack of a resistance. Link was standing there, still mustering a glare at Mr. McLaughlin while his stomach did flops and he focused on staying standing.

“Rhett, shut the hell up.” Mr. McLaughlin barked, then turned to Link. “Open your mouth up, boy.” When Link didn’t oblige, Mr. McLaughlin gave him a light smack on the cheek, then pried open his mouth (not that it was difficult in the state that Link was in).

While Mr. McLaughlin squirted the dish soap into Link’s mouth, Link blankly gazed up and felt a relaxing sensation like he hadn’t felt for weeks. His nose wrinkled at the taste of the soap, but regardless, he acted like he wasn’t affected. He didn’t want to give Mr. McLaughlin that satisfaction.

“Go in the living and sit there on the couch with that soap in your mouth. You don’t move ‘til I come and get you.” Mr. McLaughlin commanded, pointing to the living room for emphasis. _Numb, numb, numb,_ Link thought, and he was sure he’d floored everyone when he listened and trudged to the living room without a single protest. He thought he could hear Mr. McLaughlin brag to the others, something about a, “See? Told ya he’d learn eventually.”

Link sank down into the couch, convinced that that spot was the most comfortable place he’d ever been in that moment. He didn’t know how long it had been since he’d sneaked into the house, but he knew it hadn’t been very long. He decided he didn’t have a very high tolerance for opiates. He did decide that the codeine was working, however, as he sat there, finally feeling a euphoria, blissful as could be as he experienced what he was sure was the peak of relaxation, soap in the mouth and all.


	6. vi

When Mr. McLaughlin made pancakes on Tuesday morning, Link didn’t receive any. Instead, Link was presented with a bowl full of Special K. This time, instead of shoving his pancakes into his mouth as he usually did, Rhett only poked at his food and kept stealing guilty glances over at Link. Link acted like he didn’t notice, just quietly munching on his cereal.

The school was buzzing as it usually did, and Rhett, who was normally all smiles and jokes, was straight faced and quiet. Link almost found himself too stubborn to ask anything about it, but before they entered the school building amidst the crowds of over students, Link grabbed Rhett’s arm. Rhett looked down at him in concern.

“You all right, man?” Link asked sheepishly. He wasn’t good with this kind of thing anymore. Rhett raised a brow.

“You all right, man?” Rhett returned, avoiding the question. Link shuffled his feet, bristled slightly. He wished he still had his wings, to hide his face under.

“Not really, have I been?” Link answered as honestly as he could. “You seem kinda out of it today, though.” Rhett shrugged his shoulders, looking way down to his feet.

“Just this mornin’ at breakfast. Like… Dad went out of his way to not make pancakes for you, just ‘cause of what happened when Cole was over.” Rhett replied finally, playing with the sleeves of his button up. Link glanced around quickly, then tugged Rhett off to the side in the grass, so the others could get through.

“That doesn’t bother me, man. Cereal’s my favourite. Sure, I would’ve preferred frosted mini wheats, but cereal’s cereal.” he excused. He hesitated a moment before biting his lip, inching closer to Rhett. “...do ya wanna play hooky today?” asked Link in a soft tone, trying to make sure others didn’t hear. To make sure Rhett heard, he had to lean way up. Rhett gasped, looking at Link with big eyes.

“Link,” he said, astounded, “I-I couldn’t do that, that’s not like me. What if Dad finds out?” At the response, Link wrinkled his nose and fell back to the flats of his feet.

“Piss on him,” he scoffed, causing Rhett to gasp again. “Rhett, c’mon, live for once. Isn’t it boring playin’ by the rules all the time?”

Link could tell Rhett desperately wanted to say yes, but what came out of his mouth instead was, “You might like getting in trouble, Link, but that ain’t me. We’ve both changed since we were ten. I don’t wanna cause some destruction.”

Link gave him a cheeky grin. “What’s wrong with destruction?” he asked, lifting his brows at Rhett. A rosy shade of pink blanketed Rhett’s cheeks. He rubbed his arm awkwardly.

“It’s not like me, Link. We have classes, y’know?” Rhett babbled. Link sighed, giving up. He shrugged. Just because Rhett wasn’t up for it didn’t mean he wasn’t, though. Since he mentioned it, it was all he could think about: how much he wanted to be anywhere but there.

“Fine, go to class. I ain’t. I’m out of here.” he noted, regardless of the fact he had no idea where he was going to go. He began to step away, but at the last moment, Rhett finally broke.

“Link, wait,” he called. Link looked back at Rhett, who was shifting his weight from one foot to the other anxiously. “...I know a place close by.”

Link fought off a smirk at this. He walked up to Rhett, and after a moment of talking himself into it, Rhett began pushing through the crowd with Link as unsuspiciously as he could. Honestly, Link really didn’t think Rhett had it in him, but he was proving him wrong with every passing second.

Being that they were both nearing the age of eighteen, both were tall, and Rhett had his beautiful beard, no one really gave them a second glance as they walked away from the district and through Macon. Rhett was too nervous to talk, regardless.

By the time they arrived where Rhett was leading them, Link’s legs were sore and tired. They’d entered private property, surprisingly enough to Link, and eventually happened across some old abandoned entrance to a tunnel. Graffiti was littered all over the walls. Link looked up at Rhett, smiling smugly.

“I thought this wasn’t like you, McLaughlin.”

Rhett blushed hard. He fought so hard not to smile. “I’ve never actually been here before, _Neal._ I’ve just heard about it, from Cole.” he insisted. Link playfully shoved him.

“We ain’t got a flashlight, Rhett.” he pointed out. Rhett paused, then scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

“I didn’t consider that.” he muttered. Link grinned mischievously. Suddenly, he felt at his peak. He finally felt like he knew what he was doing. Not that that was a good thing, in this case.

“We could always steal one.” suggested Link. Rhett eyed Link uneasily.

“That’s wrong.” Rhett mumbled. He shifted. “We’d have to go all the way back, and sneak back in, and I haven’t even mentioned that we’re stealing something…”

“Then I don’t got a solution for you, man. Other than doin’ something else.” Link sighed. Rhett looked conflicted.

“I just don’t want it to affect the employees, y’know? It’s wrong.” Rhett said. Link considered it for a moment. Normally, he wouldn’t care, but for some reason, this time, he wanted to make sure Rhett felt better about it.

“We can always return it when we’re done,” Link offered. And that was how they walked all the way to a Wal-Mart, Link walked in alone and sure enough, returned with a flashlight. The plan seemed to be that when they returned it, Rhett would go in alone, so it wasn’t too suspicious. The second trip into the private property almost seemed easier.

For the umpteenth time that day, Rhett surprised Link. Rhett seemed to almost get comfortable with it by the time they returned to the tunnel entrance, and he hadn’t mentioned a word more about the whole stealing thing.

Rhett turned on the “borrowed” flashlight, glancing down at Link. “Cole told me it was an abandoned tunnel and sewer system.” he noted, beginning to walk in like it was nothing. Link slowly followed Rhett.

“This is moronic. What if we get lost?” he pointed out, regardless of the fact he was the one who had influenced the whole shebang. Rhett glanced back.

“We die.” he said. They kept eye contact for a moment before they both began laughing, voices echoing in the tunnel. Normally, descending into nothing but darkness, Link would be terrified, but he realised that he felt at ease with Rhett at his side.

By the time they turned down the first new tunnel, there was no light behind them, or in front of them. It got colder and colder (not that they were complaining, Georgian humidity was a joke) as the descended into the ground slowly, shining the flashlight around at the walls. The faint sound of dripping echoed in the distance.

“You’ve seriously never done anything like this?” Link had to ask. Rhett shook his head, glancing down at Link.

“No. I never really felt the need,” Rhett answered, returning his gaze to the tight path ahead of them. “When we moved away from Buies Creek, I… I felt like half a person   
again. I got quiet. I got shy. I thought about you almost every day.”

Link dipped his head down, guilt tying a knot in his stomach even though he knew it wasn’t his fault. “I changed too. But I think that was pretty obvious.”

Rhett seemed anxious, desperately wanting to say something, but he looked as though he couldn’t force himself to get it out. They eventually came across a hole, with a ladder that lead down to another section. Before descending, Rhett finally spoke up. “Why _didn’t_ you ever write me back, Link?”

“I don’t got an excuse.” Link said. He squatted down, slowly dangling his legs over the edge of the hole above the latter. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Rhett. “When I got your last letter for my eleventh birthday, I meant to reply. I just kept puttin’ it off, and puttin’ it off, then I just forgot to do it. I got caught up startin’ to do bad things, but I was still thinkin’ about you. I never stopped. You don’t know how important you were to me, man. Life wasn’t the same when y’all moved. I lost the most important guy in my life.”

“I would still die for you, Link.” Rhett blurted out, not bothering to think about it. Link instantly felt heat rising to his cheeks and the tips of his ears. He hesitated momentarily before peering way up at Rhett. Rhett was already furiously blushing. “I-I’m so sorry, that was so weird, I-I--”

“Shut up.” Link murmured, peering at Rhett so softly, such admiration in his eyes. Rhett closed his mouth, maintaining an awkward stare with Link. Link reached up and adjusted his glasses. “I’ve missed you, Rhett. I’m glad we’re back together, despite the circumstances. It’s all I could’ve wanted.”

“Yeah,” Rhett said sheepishly. They watched each other for a moment before Link finally began crawling down into the ladder, Rhett reluctantly following.

They walked until their legs were sore. At some point, they happened across a little chamber, and decided they’d stop there and rest. Link was the first to sit down, and Rhett did as well once he convinced himself that it was safe to do so. They remained as awkward as they had been for the past month or so, until Rhett finally broke the silence.

“My dad was the same way with me, ‘til I got way taller than him.” he confessed, setting the flashlight next to him and rolling up his sleeves. Link turned his head to face Rhett. “I mean, maybe not the same way, but pretty dang close. When I started sizin’ him up, he stopped.”

“I ain’t gonna grow anymore, I don’t think.” Link commented with a lopsided grin. Rhett laughed lightly, extending his long legs out in front of him.

“I’m sorry I don’t intervene. I been… I-I, well, I have pretty bad anxiety now, and I hate watchin’ him treat you like that, but I just get so dang scared and nervous to do anything…” he muttered, averting his gaze. Link’s heart beat a little quicker. He decided it was time for him to open up a little more.

“He’s just doin’ what my mom wanted him to.” Link answered, as much as it pained him to admit. “I’m a little shit, Rhett. It started slow after you moved. I started carving things into my wall, my door… then I started gettin’ into graffiti, and breakin’ shit, and stealin’ shit, and causin’ fights at school. Then I started messin’ around with burning things. You wanna hear somethin’ stupid? I would light the trash cans on fire, put it out, light it, put it out, light it, put it out… for no reason. I think my mom was at her breaking point when--” Link cut himself off, realising he wasn’t ready to talk about it. He hung his head in shame.

“...when what?” Rhett dared to ask. There was a lump lodged in Link’s throat. He couldn’t bring himself to say it, not yet. He opened his mouth to speak, a long ‘uhh’ rolling off his tongue instead. He closed his mouth and pressed his index finger to his face, looking off to the entrance of the chamber. Rhett took the hint and changed the subject. “It’s our last year of school.”

For some reason, this choked Link up. He reached up, ran his fingers through his hair. He smiled sweetly, half heartedly and somewhat bashfully laughed. “I wouldn’t want to spend it with anyone other than you.”

He reached over and patted Rhett’s shoulder. Flustered, Rhett played with hands and peeked at Link. He anxiously licked his lips. He slowly began leaning in towards Link, and Link could hear his own heartbeat in his ears, Rhett’s eyes flicking between Link’s face and then downwards. Suddenly, he froze, then jerked back in alarm, beginning to scramble to his feet.

“Oh f--heck, Link, it’s 2:37!” he exclaimed, bending back down to grab the flashlight. He winced, using one hand to hold his back and slowly bend back up. Link suddenly had the urge to tell Rhett about the codeine, but what Rhett had just said finally processed.

“Shit!” Link shouted, but immediately began laughing. When Rhett was standing straight and looked recovered, Link grabbed his arm and began yanking him out of the chamber and to the tunnels again. He continued laughing the whole time.

“Link, it ain’t funny!” Rhett cried out, despite the fact he was smiling. “How’re we gonna return the flashlight and get back before the bus leaves?”

“Running!” Link howled, skidding on his heels when they got to the ladder. Link couldn’t remember the last time he’d ever climbed up something so quickly in his life.

Even though the flashlight died five minutes from the entrance and set them back a little bit, they still managed to make it back to the school district with a minute to spare. Still laughing as they boarded the bus, Link looked up at Rhett, only to discover that Rhett was already staring at him with a smile.

Link realised that he was genuinely happy at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE UPDATE! im about four chapters from writing the ending of this story, and its quite lengthy, so i decided that it was time to update my updating schedule! from now on, i'll be updating every tuesday and saturday, 
> 
> thank you to everybody that reads this story. it means the world to me to hear your positive feedback of it, cos ive put my dang blood, sweat, and tears into this thing. i love you all with my whole heart. you all deserve happiness in life, and i hope that youre already experiencing it. :) see you this saturday! x


	7. vii

School felt empty without Rhett. He had a few appointments to go to that day, so he was absent from school, and Link was lonely and bored. The only positive thing about it was that when he got home, it would be only him and Mrs. McLaughlin for a few hours. Mrs. McLaughlin would likely let him have his first day “off” since he’d arrived, even if it would only last until Mr. McLaughlin and Rhett got home. Regardless, Link was looking forward to it.

Link napped through most of his classes, save for science and a video production class. He’d only stayed up through science because he was acting like he was taking notes, while in reality, he was writing the lyrics of You Babe by Merle Haggard in his notebook and drawing little hearts around it, along with an unmistakably tall stick figure.

Video production was a class he actually enjoyed, and it was one he was in with Rhett. There wasn’t much he could do for their assignment (Make a Commercial For a Local Business - 100 points) without him there, so instead, he scratched away at the desk and watched the antics of Felix, the foreign exchange student from Sweden. Felix was a junior, and he was loud and disruptive, but definitely funny to observe in Link’s eyes.

When he got home, Mrs. McLaughlin was sitting on the couch, watching Fixer Upper. She smiled and greeted him, and he returned the gesture, only to disappear straight to their room. He took off his shoddy old backpack that he recalled being Rhett’s from around 4th grade and slung it on the bed, only to notice that there was a note resting on his pillow. He pinched it between his fingers.

_Link,_  
_yore mom called._  
_-Rhett_

Link squinted. Yore. It was completely beyond him how the hell Rhett managed to butcher a word so bad. He felt moderately shocked to read his mom had actually called, but he didn’t let himself react too much. He pocketed the note, just because he wanted to save it so he could tease Rhett about yore mom.

He walked out into the kitchen, to get the phone. He reached out and grabbed it, carrying it to the fridge where he’d noticed somebody had left the number. Nerve began to set in. He was almost scared to call. He read the paper and dialed the number, gulping as he leaned against the counter and waited for an answer.

“Hello?”

“Mom,” Link said. He looked down to his feet while silence ensued. He cleared his throat, eyebrow twitching. “What were ya so busy with that it took ya this long to call?”

“I’m sorry.”

“That sounds like a blatant fucking lie.” Link spat, heart pounding. He stood up straight. “Sorry my ass. You don’t care. It’s been over a month, Mom.”

“Link, that’s not true. I’ve had work, I’ve had to deal with your step-dad, and his kids, and--”

“Don’t call him that.” Link said. “Don’t call him my step-dad.”

There was a sigh all over again. Link could hear shuffling on the other end of the line. “How have you been? How is it out there?”

“It’s terrible. It’s absolutely mind-numbingly terrible, Mom. I can’t even take a leak without having to ask. I hate this. I hate living here. The only good part is seein’ Rhett again. Mr. McLaughlin won’t give me a break. Sometimes I go to bed without supper. I read five chapters of the Bible almost every night. I repeat Bible verses. I sat with dish soap in my mouth. Why couldn’t I stay with Dad? Why?” Link ranted, beginning to shake the longer he talked.

“Your dad thought this was the best option. Link, we’re at our breaking point. We don’t want you in juvie, we don’t want you in jail, and after you--”

“It wasn’t my fault!” Link cried out, clenching his fists tightly. “It wasn’t my fault! I didn’t do it! I know I’ve done some stupid things, but I would never, never in my life, ever do that! I didn’t! The cops even said so! Why don’t you believe me? Why?”

“I have no reason to believe you, Link! You constantly lie to me!” 

“How the hell can I lie to you when you never call in the first damn place?” Link retorted, trembling. “Mom, I didn’t do it.”

“Link, I didn’t call you to argue with you, I called you to check up on you.”

“You don’t care.” Link said, feeling like he was slowly crumbling all over again. “You don’t care about me anymore.”

“I do care about you, Link, but damn, you got out of control.”

“You did nothin’ to help me. You were never there for me. You’d get sick of me and send me to Gramma’s all day while you and him and the rest of the Brady Bunch went out and did somethin’ fun. My grades started slippin’, you never intervened. I’d cry myself to sleep, you didn’t ask what was wrong. I didn’t have to ask to go out, you would tell me to get the hell out ‘cause you didn’t wanna be bothered. Dad stopped wanting to babysit me and so y’all sent me out here.” Link argued, breathing heavily. His feet were planted firmly in place. He angrily pushed up his glasses.

“It’s ‘cause the McLaughlin’s know what they’re doin’.”

“Why did you even have me if you didn’t want a child?” Link shouted, voice echoing off the kitchen walls. “Maybe if y’all would’ve shown me a little more love, I wouldn’t’ve turned out to be such a big burden!”

“Link--”

“I wish I was never even born!” Link pressed the end button, storming over and slamming the phone back in place. He jogged through the house and into his and Rhett’s bedroom, then proceeded to throw himself down on Rhett’s bed, grab his pillow, and scream as hard as he could into it. He lifted his head, but only because his glasses fogged up and it was more comfortable to just take the damned things off.

Link imagined himself a thousand miles away, away from everything and everyone. He felt like there was a storm in his chest, whirling and crashing violently. It was an immense sorrow, rage, everything all at once, worse than the harshest of winters. His life was the Odyssey, and he was Odysseus.

“Are you doing okay, sugar?” Mrs. McLaughlin suddenly asked, and Link noticed she was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at him in concern. Link wasn’t sure when the tears started, but he knew that they had, and they were hot and furious.

“No, I’m not doing okay! Everyone hates me and I can never do anything right! Nothing I do is ever good enough! I’m trying to get better, but I don’t know what to do, I don’t know how to fix it, and nobody will help me, and I don’t know how to get help! I don’t know how to help myself! My mom and dad don’t love me me anymore because of something that I didn’t even do! I know I’ve messed up, but I didn’t do it, Mrs. McLaughlin, I swear on my life I didn’t do it!” Link cried hysterically, sitting up and facing the woman as he bawled. 

Instinctively, Mrs. McLaughlin reached out and pulled Link into a warm embrace. Link threw his arms around her and clung to her like he would die if he let go. He sobbed so hard he kept losing his breath, only to result to gagging on his own cries. Mrs. McLaughlin stroked his hair gently, tenderly shushing him and rubbing his back all the while.

“Take a deep breath, Link.” she instructed, resting her head against his. Link fought hard to collect even one breath in the midst of it all, his head buried in her shoulder. “I’m sorry you’re hurting like this. I wish I knew how to make it better. When you’re ready to talk about things, I’m here for you, okay? Not as Mr. McLaughlin’s wife, or Rhett’s mother, but as a friend.”

Link blubbered and finally brought himself to look up at her, and take a few deep breaths to calm down. “Thank you, ma’am,” he choked out, bottom lip quivering violent as he fought back more tears. Mrs. McLaughlin stroked his cheek gently.

“There’s no need to call me ma’am while he ain’t here,” she chuckled, wiping at his cheeks. Link hung his head down and covered his face with his hands, a long high-pitched whine rumbling out of his throat. 

“I didn’t do it, Mrs. McLaughlin,” he whimpered, his weeps more controlled this time. Mrs. McLaughlin continued to gently pet his hair, watching with such sorrow in her eyes.

“I know you didn’t,” she validated with a sweet tone, grasping his glasses and setting them carefully upon the nightstand. Link had been expecting to hear a ‘but’ after that statement, yet it never came. He nervously tipped his head up at Mrs. McLaughlin, peering at her through his blurry vision. He thought he could see a faint smile, but he couldn’t be sure. It was difficult to let himself be able to trust her.

Mrs. McLaughlin opened her mouth as if she were going to say something more, but they heard the front door open from the living room, and boots enter in. She closed her mouth and smiled at Link, wiping a few more tears from his cheeks. She leaned towards him and dropped her voice to a murmur.

“Don’t worry about the horses and the trash and the house cleaning, or any of that today. I figured I’d let you have a break, just… keep it between us. Why don’t you come and help me out with dinner pretty soon? If you want to, honey.” Mrs. McLaughlin offered, stroking Link’s hair once more before standing up and walking out of the room.

Link watched her leave, resisting the urge to keep up his crying, especially with the knowledge that Rhett would most likely come into the room. It registered with Link that he was sitting on Rhett’s bed, and he wiped at his tears. He picked up his glasses from Rhett’s nightstand, slid them on his face, and got up to go sit on his bed instead.

As planned, Rhett walked into the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey yall! i just wanted to give a quick shout out to theunpopularpoplar for the kind comments they always leave on this. i think you should know that you give me the confidence to keep truckin forward in this story. thank you, and everyone else who reads this story, for the love and support! i love you and you make me smile everyday <3


	8. viii

“Oh my gosh! You didn’t! I can’t believe this!” Rhett cried as he ran out to the driveway in nothing but his pyjamas. Mrs. McLaughlin was grinning brightly as she held open the door for him.

Link trudged behind, half awake and still in his pyjamas as well. He scratched at his stubbly chin, fighting to keep his eyes open. His only motivation to actually move out of the bed and walk instead of lounging around was that it was Rhett’s birthday, the big eighteen.

When he walked over the threshold and squinted at the early morning sun, his eyes fell upon what it was Rhett was so excited about. Mr. McLaughlin was stepping out of an old 1987 Chevy Silverado, the keys in his hands as he smiled at Rhett. Link’s jaw dropped.

“You worked so hard gettin’ your licence this summer that we thought you deserved something special,” Mr. McLaughlin said, tossing the keys over to Rhett. Rhett caught them, his eyes shining even brighter than the sun itself.

“Oh my gosh!” Rhett exclaimed again, incapable of finding any other words at the moment. Link couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The idea of birthday presents were foreign enough to him--he’d gotten a card and a bar of dark chocolate for his seventeenth birthday.

“This was the truck I learnt to drive in, and it’s your grandpa’s old truck. It ain’t got much longer left to live, but I figured it’d be good for your first truck. Make use out of it. You wanna drive it to school this mornin’?” Mr. McLaughlin continued, clapping his eighteen year old son on the shoulder.

Rhett hugged his dad tightly, laughing in disbelief. A tight smile found its way to Link’s lips and he forced himself to be happy, just for Rhett. He hugged his arms to fight the nip of the chilly October morning, watching as Rhett profusely thanked his parents and kept hugging them both. This time, when Mr. McLaughlin made pancakes for Tuesday, he not only infused them with chocolate chips for the occasion, but Link finally got a couple again. Rhett couldn’t stop grinning that morning.

It seemed like every single person they passed at school stopped to say happy birthday to Rhett, even kids Link had never even seen before. Link wondered if Rhett was considered popular, or if everyone just knew and liked him. It was really hard not to like Rhett.

On top of that, everyone’s birthday present to Rhett seemed to be telling him they would vote for him and Rosanna (Link hadn’t personally spoken to her) to win homecoming court. All that Link knew about Ro was that she was very tiny, she liked to giggle a lot, and she often baked little treats for no real reason (and Felix always stole a bunch, which never failed to make the giggle box that was Ro giggle).

Link could care less about homecoming, but he did care about Rhett and Rhett’s birthday, so he just smiled and agreed every time. It was definitely worth it when Link saw the way Rhett would beam.

When Rhett drove them back home in that old stick shift, Link felt grown up with Rhett. Rhett’s happy grin was lighting up the way, and Link’s heart was pounding hard, and he knew his cheeks were as red as the dang truck. Not a word was said between them the whole way home, but Link could feel the silent conversation, the one that screamed, _You make me so happy._

The afternoon was fairly uneventful. Rhett was in such an extraordinarily good mood that he helped Link with everything he needed to do, happily humming songs and dancing around as he assisted Link with the cleaning. There was, at some point, a few minutes where Rhett accidentally bumped into Link in the midst of their work, and rather than skittishly backing away, he rested one hand on Link’s waist and used his other palm to grab Link’s and waltz him around the living room. Link had laughed and clumsily followed Rhett’s lead, all while Rhett playfully sang Once Upon a Dream from Sleeping Beauty and watched Link’s face the whole time. Link wished that moment would have never ended.

In the evening was when Rhett’s celebration of sorts really began. It was just the four of them, which was what Rhett had apparently wanted. They ate thick, juicy, medium rare ribeyes with fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes and a side of green beans. There seemed to be an endless pile of buttermilk biscuits, and Link didn’t think he was going to be able to eat a slice of the cake at the end. Rhett’s cake was blue velvet, fairly simple, but definitely delicious. Link had almost eaten the full thing, but ended up giving the rest to Rhett.

Link didn’t think it was possible to have fun with Mr. McLaughlin, but there he was. Mr. McLaughlin told Link he could stay up a little later with Rhett, but only because Rhett had asked and it was Rhett’s birthday. They all sat outside underneath the stars, with a bonfire roaring while Mr. McLaughlin had a beer (Heineken, they were out of Budweiser) and even offered some to Rhett.

“How’s your birthday been so far, son?” Mr. McLaughlin asked, smirking at Rhett. Rhett’s eyes shone, the fire causing them to twinkle even more than they had been. He glanced over at Link, who was sitting about two feet away at his left.

“The best birthday ever,” Rhett said incredulously. Link gave him a lopsided smile.

“Sorry I couldn’t get you anything, brother,” he muttered. Rhett looked almost wounded that Link had said it.

“You bein’ here is enough,” Rhett insisted softly, placing his hand on Link’s knee briefly. Link looked down at his lap and listened to the noise of the crackling fire and random insects of in the distance. He paid attention to the way the wind whistled, how slow it moved, yet how to cut through the trees like scissors on paper.

“Rhett, why don’t ya get your guitar and we can sing some songs?” Mr. McLaughlin suggested. Immediately, Rhett set his bottle of beer down and began walking towards the house.

“I’ll be right back!” he called, disappearing into the black of the night. Link watched him until the flames no longer illuminated his silhouette. He almost looked down, but Mr. McLaughlin said his name and he looked up dubiously.

“What’s up with your grades, Link? Haven’t you been doin’ your homework?” Mr. McLaughlin asked, but it wasn’t angry like it usually was. It was a genuine question. Link gulped.

“Yes, sir.” he answered, unsure of how to explain himself. Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin looked at each other, but it was Mr. McLaughlin who spoke once more.

“Well, I know you ain’t stupid, kid. Why are your grades slippin’ so bad?” he asked, then took a sip of his beer. Link sighed. He could make up a lie, as he usually did, or he could tell the truth. There was the lie, _I don’t get it,_ which wasn’t completely a lie in some cases, and there was the truth. He opened his mouth to speak, only to stop shortly after. He was going to prove his mom wrong.

“Because… b-because I’ve been lazy, sir. I’ve been slacking off in class. I do my homework, but sometimes I don’t turn it in or I just… don’t take the time to try on it.” Link admitted, and it was the full, honest, and complete truth. Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin both looked more than a little shocked.

“Well…” Mr. McLaughlin’s voice trailed off. Link was waiting for it, he was waiting for the man to lash out, and he was prepared for whatever stupid punishment he’d get this time. Belt him down for all he cared. But again, it didn’t happen. “I’m glad you at least told us, Link. We’ll talk about it more tomorrow.”

Link had to do a triple take. _Telling the truth results in positive actions,_ he thought in disbelief, and couldn’t help but wonder if things would go back to normal tomorrow. Normal being stubborn Link and temperamental Mr. McLaughlin. Regardless, Link was ready to enjoy to relaxed nature of the night, gladly.

Rhett returned with his guitar and sat down next to Link. When he looked over at Link, he began grinning like an idiot all over again. Without taking his eyes off of Link, he asked, “What do y’all want to hear?”

“Let’s hear some Lionel Richie,” Mrs. McLaughlin suggested. Rhett cleared his throat, finally brought himself to look away from Link’s ice blue eyes. Link bit his lip to fight off a smile and looked into the fire.

Rhett started off by playing Stuck On You, singing as he went. Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin joined in at some point, but Link was too entranced by just listening to Rhett to join. Well, it was that, and it was also that he was a little shy. The McLaughlin’s went through Hello, Penny Lover, and Say You, Say Me together before Link finally began to hum along.

There was a change of pace when Rhett began to play Barcelona by Bill Newman--one of Link’s favourite songs. Rhett looked over at Link after noticing the way he lit up, smirking sweetly. “I wish I were in Barcelona now to walk with you along the avenue. I wish I were in Barcelona now,” he sang. “Life is not the same since I’m home again. You know I went to Paris--”

“Yeah,” Link answered, nodding at Rhett. Rhett fought a laugh as he continued.

“And I went to London, too.”

“Went everywhere, man.”

“But I keep returning,” Rhett cooed.

“Why?”

“To the time I spent with you.”

After that, Link began to sing the harmony softly with Rhett, still a little bashful about it. He could hear Mrs. McLaughlin echo him, and Mr. McLaughlin chuckle as he sipped his beer again. Once Barcelona was over, Link reached over and playfully pushed Rhett. Rhett laughed.

“Let’s hear some David Allen Coe, Rhett,” Mr. McLaughlin requested. Rhett paused, only before looking right back at Link with a wild smile on his face. Link seemed confused for a moment, then caught on and began to beam just as brightly.

“Well it was all, that I could do, to keep from cryin’,” the two boys sang-laughed at the same time, and Rhett began to strum his guitar. “Sometimes it seems so useless to remain, but you don’t have to call me darlin’--darlin’. You never even called me by name.”

“You don’t have to call me Waylon Jennings,” Mr. McLaughlin added, wrapping his arm around Mrs. McLaughlin. Link looked across at him, shocked to find himself daring to grin at Mr. McLaughlin.

“And you don’t have to call me Charlie Pride.” he howled across to the man. Rhett cleared his throat as he strummed, trying to make himself serious.

“And you don’t have to call me Merle Haggard… anymore. Even though you’re on my fightin’ side,” intoned Rhett. Sitting there singing with the McLaughlin’s like that, old country songs Link knew deep down he still adored, he actually felt like he belonged somewhere. It’d been awhile since he’d felt like that. He would’ve never expected to find that welcoming here, at McLaughlin Ranch, with Mr. McLaughlin who he just knew was going to coarse him after the night was dead.

_So I’ll hang around as long as you will let me, and I never minded standin’ in the rain._

Once they’d gotten through the rest of that song, things were silent for a few minutes as they watched the fire. Rhett reached down and took the smallest of sips from his bottle. “Have you two ever considered writing music together?” Mrs. McLaughlin asked lightly. Rhett and Link faltered. “Your voices go so well together.”

“Well, no,” Rhett chuckled anxiously. He strummed a couple strings, setting his bottle down. Link opened his mouth to protest the idea, only to have those words catch in his throat. He began to smirk, gaze flicking over to Rhett.

“We… we could try,” he pointed out, shrugging his bony shoulders. Rhett blushed, looking down at his guitar.

“Link, I don’t--”

“Just tell me the first words that come to your mind,” Link insisted, and almost immediately, Rhett said,

“I’ve crushed cans.”

Link stared at Rhett, unamused. Yet somehow, he still found himself slowly replying, “...and I’ve crushed… gravel?”

Rhett drummed his fingers on his guitar. “It could be a really bad country love song. Something… something like,” Rhett interrupted himself, adjusting his fingers before strumming a C chord. Link laughed weakly, nodding his head in agreement. “And I’ve crushed gramma’s leg…”

“...in the door of a Cadillac.” Link finished Rhett’s thought. Rhett sputtered, shaking his head at his friend. Link snickered. “True story.”

“Yeah… uh, she still walks with a limp, but she said she learnt a valuable lesson that day; get those feet in the car.” Rhett added sarcastically.

“See? You boys have already got the first few lines down.” Mrs. McLaughlin praised, watching the two with tired eyes. Link nodded again, shifting in his spot to get more comfortable. Rhett played the chord again.

“It’s a work in progress,” he told his mom. After another second of awkward quiet, Mr. McLaughlin grunted as he began to stand up. Mrs. McLaughlin followed shortly after. 

“We’re gonna head inside, boys. Don’t stay up too much later. Happy birthday, Rhett.” Mr. McLaughlin said. Before they could get too far, Rhett spoke up.

“What should we do about the bonfire?” After taking a moment to process it, Mr. McLaughlin looked back, then around the dark landscape.

“Drown it out with water, mix it all up with dirt and make sure there ain’t any embers left, get everything wet, make sure everything’s cool to the touch, give it another check over and if it’s good, you’re done. If not, add more water. Night.” he explained, and before long, they disappeared. Link stood up as well, told Rhett he’d be right back, and wandered into the house with the others. 

He’d said he’d needed to use the washroom, and while that wasn’t completely wrong, he’d mostly needed a moment to just think about what had happened that night. Of course, he was happy, but he just could not allow himself to be too happy. Yet he couldn’t stop thinking about the way Rhett kept grinning at him, or how compatible they still were, or anything. His heart was fluttering. 

Link was finally realising that he had made a friend for life, even after all these years of being apart. He felt so burnt with bitterness, yet, all at the same time, every single time Rhett was so much as mentioned to him, feelings ebbed and flowed so roughly--so sweetly--inside of him, crashing in a calamity of confusion and chaos, yet caressing him in a warm embrace all at once. Suddenly he understood why storms were named after people.

He went back outside with Rhett. Before he could get far, he faintly heard a familiar song coming from Rhett’s acoustic, one that he hadn’t exactly expected to hear coming from Rhett. _Oh yeah,_ he thought to himself as he quietly crept closer. _All right._

Rhett was so handsome with his guitar, the light of the fire faintly outlining him. Is this what having a spiritual experience was like? Was this what all those Shakespearean dramas Link never bothered to read were about? He noticed Rhett didn’t notice him. He couldn’t help but grin.

“...somebody’s Heine’ is crowdin’ my icebox, somebody’s cold one is givin’ me chi--” Link sang to the song, but Rhett sputtered and instantly stopped playing. Link could see just how red Rhett’s face had become. Rhett clenched his guitar to his chest.

“L-Link, I didn’t know you came back out.” he laughed nervously. Link took a seat next to Rhett again.

“Why’d you stop?” Link had to ask. Rhett hesitated, choking on his words and staring at Link like a deer caught in headlights. After huffing softly, Rhett finally fessed up. It seemed as though Link wasn’t the only one being completely honest about things that night. He swore it was the moon phase.

“...’cause I thought you were my dad. Please don’t tell him I know that song, let alone like it.” he muttered. Just when Link was convinced he was seeing the redemption arch of Rhett’s dad, it was ruined for him just like that. Maybe things were gonna go back to normal sooner than tomorrow.

“Rhett, why the hell would I tell him you like a dang Weezer song when I can hardly tell him that I picked a tick out of a horse without him thinkin’ that everything is somehow my fault?” he pointed out, quirking a brow. Rhett set his guitar down, sighing as he cupped his cheeks in his palms. 

“I don’t know, I’m nervous. A dang lightning bug could fly past me the wrong way and I’d be wonderin’ if I ruined its day,” Rhett laughed. Link snorted softly. Rhett glanced away. “I really like rock and that kinda stuff. Don’t get me wrong, it’s all right bein’ like this, but… I don’t wanna be like this all the time, Link. I wanna wear t-shirts, and the jeans are all good, but I, I dunno. I-I feel bad complainin’, ‘cause I know he gives you a worse time, but I don’t wanna be like this anymore. I’m too nice. I follow too many rules. I’m too obedient. I don’t wanna be a robot, Link.”

“I don’t follow enough rules. I get too snotty. I don’t listen enough.” Link pointed out. Rhett peeked over at him, the smallest of smiles finding its way to his lips. He blushed. Typical Rhett.

“We balance each other out,” Rhett said. “We were meant to be together, y-y’know, brother.”

“I don’t know about that,” Link mumbled, looking away before he could watch the way Rhett’s expression fell. His eyes focused on the dancing flames ahead of him and all was quiet, save for the crackling of the fire, and the random insects, and the way the wind whistled, and Rhett anxiously messing with his guitar strings. He thought to himself, _But we were meant stay together._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can u believe theres an update the same day that the apocalypse is gonna happen


	9. ix

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: assault mention

Link oftentimes wondered when he’d become so cynical.

Was he justified in it? He stood by the belief that he felt he was doing amazing by the standards of what his life had been like even three months ago. Mr. McLaughlin didn’t seem to think so. Mr. McLaughlin never seemed to think so.

At least Link was right about one thing: everything returned to normal after Rhett’s birthday, and of course, his cynical ass was glad for it, even though that was a blatant lie and he knew it deep down.

Mr. McLaughlin was not happy to find that Rhett was so helpful with Link, and he was not happy to find that Link didn’t do half of the things he was supposed to anyway (did he ever?). It was practically a breaking point.

Mr. McLaughlin had proceeded to find Link out by the horses, take a belt, and hit Link lash after lash after lash, until Link just stopped shouting, and just laid there and took it with a blank stare fixed up at the sky. Rhett was at school, helping set up the homecoming dance, despite the fact that in the end, he and Ro were only runner ups and hadn’t won after all. Link didn’t know if he would’ve preferred Rhett there or if he was glad Rhett was gone.

“Since you want to work like a woman, I’ll make you work like a woman,” Mr. McLaughlin had declared, only after adding the tasks of making dinner and grocery shopping to Link’s chore list. Link couldn’t hold his stupid, stupid tongue.

“Oink oink, you disgusting sexist pig,” Link had replied.

Why couldn’t he hold his stupid, stupid tongue?

Because now, in the mid of October, with the nippy nights, Link was told he was going to sleep outside for a full week. That’s right, on the ground, underneath the stars, with unsettling forest land all around, and predators, with nothing but his pillow and a couple blankets, by himself. While he got to make that dinner, he didn’t get to eat any for that week. Mr. McLaughlin had said so. He’d said that Link’s dinner that week was going to be a sandwich, no more, no less.

Link suddenly remembered why he hated his life so bad.

While he did his homework for the weekend, Mr. McLaughlin hovered over him and watched him do everything, with no breaks. None. Not even to stretch.

Things would get good, and then get bad, and when they got bad, they got worse. That was what Link’s life at this point seemed to be, anyway. It was so tempting to go out and start breaking things, and stealing things, and setting trash cans on fire for no reason other than to put them out, but for some reason Link didn’t even have the motivation to do that.

He made dinner for Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin, served it, washed the dishes, and took his sandwich with him while he struggled to carry his bedding with him outside. It was a shame to lay his clean blankets on the dirty ground.

Hours passed slowly after that. He sat there, cold and alone, staring up at the progressively darkening sky while he listened to the horses neighing in the distance. When all was dark, he could hear Rhett get home pretty early, way before the dance was supposed to end. He wanted to run crying to Rhett, to tell him, _Rhett, I want to die,_ but he knew Rhett was going through his own things, so he kept it to himself. He always kept it to himself.

At some point he laid down and curled up underneath his blankets, scared of the unknown that was the dark. He kept his glasses on, unsure of what to do with them. It was either sleep uncomfortably or risk accidentally breaking them. 

His heart skipped a beat when he heard the crunch of ground nearing him and he pulled his blanket over his head, as if that would miraculously save him from imminent death. On second thought, he almost hoped whatever it was would kill him. It would be better than the life he was suffering.

“Link?” That was Rhett’s voice. Link slowly lowered the blanket and found the other towering over him. Well, almost. He was standing nearby, holding his own blanket and pillow. Link sat up.

“Rhett, what are you doing?” he asked. Rhett tossed his stuff down next to Link.

“When I got home a couple hours ago, Dad told me what happened today. Well, he told me in his version of what happened, but I imagine it was worse. I waited until they were asleep.” Rhett clarified. Link arched his eyebrows, not that Rhett could see.

“You could get in trouble if you’re caught,” Link said, even though he was positive Rhett already knew that. He watched Rhett lay down next to him.

“Yeah, I know,” Rhett answered. He got comfortable under his blanket. “I don’t care.”

“That’s not like you,” Link pointed out, though he found his voice was small. Rhett scooted himself closer to Link, and Link could feel his warmth.

“Just this once.” Rhett promised, but Link knew that was a lie. He fought so hard not to smile. He turned his head to stare up at the sky.

Suddenly, Link had so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to talk about. He could talk for hours, and the silence wasn’t cutting it anymore. Though he needed to say something, he was desperately afraid that his words might ruin everything. He felt a lump catch in his throat.

Rhett pointed up at the night sky. “I’d name that one Linkstar,” he said. It hit Link full force. He looked over at Rhett, almost hesitantly, frightened that he might see an image that would disturb him more than he already was.

But he didn’t. He just saw the handsome boy lying next to him, arm extended upwards in a lazy point while he gazed tenderly up at the stars. He took Link’s breath away, almost as much as those stars took away Rhett’s. 

Linkstar.

Was Link one of those stars now?

Link turned his head away from Rhett, noticed the other lowered his arm back to his side. He peered up at the sky and tried to see the beauty that Rhett was seeing up there. All Link could see was white specs and the overwhelming darkness that was swallowing him whole. He let that be a metaphor for his immense sorrow. He had been so angry all of these years, and now all he could feel was melancholy. Or maybe he was exhausted of it all.

He realised he was still cold. He removed his glasses and set them aside, forgetting about the risk, and flipped on his side towards Rhett. He nestled up beside him, embracing his warmth, squeezing his eyes shut and pretending like nothing would really matter in the morning. He thought that’s what Rhett must’ve thought, too, because Rhett folded his arm around Link and held him close. Link didn’t want to be just a star, because Rhett deserved the universe.

Link’s glasses were fine, and Rhett was back inside by early morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry about all the chapter notes ive been leaving unnecessarily, but following the themes of this chapter, especially in wake of everything that has happened since tuesday, if you ever need someone to talk to, im here for you. you can find me on twitter by the same username that i use here (lonkneal). my dms are open. never forget that youre loved and youre important. i love you and thank you for being part of this world. x


	10. x

_Twenty one days ‘til Turkey Day,_ Link thought, unsure if he was excited or not. It had been a long time since he had celebrated any holiday. Well, that wasn’t completely true. He had celebrated holidays by himself for the past couple years, while his mom and her family went to family dinners, and opened presents together on Christmas morning, and laughed and smiled while Link sat in the corner of a drug den in fear as he watched his friends (were they really?) fill syringes.

Wow, it had been a long time since he’d thought about that last bit. He had almost forgotten about it.

Link scratched Lightning’s jaw. “You don’t eat celebrate Turkey Day, do you?” he asked the horse, resting lazily against the wooden fence. He found he was still slightly sore, but recovering nicely. Lightning snorted and nudged Link’s hand. Link thought that if Lightning wasn’t a horse, he would’ve been a dog.

“You wanna ride ‘im?” Rhett’s voice startled Link. He jumped and spun around in alarm. His cheeks burned red in embarrassment and he hoped that Rhett hadn’t heard him talking to the horse.

“You serious, man?” Link asked hesitantly. He’d never ridden a horse before. He almost didn’t know if he wanted to. Rhett stepped closer to him, grinning.

“Yeah, brother!” he exclaimed, patting his shoulder and turning towards the stables. “Let’s tack up Lightning and Madame.”

Link stared at Rhett warily. “I’ve never… done either of those things,” he said, slowly following Rhett. Rhett looked back at Link briefly, then reached out and grabbed a halter and a rope. He tossed them to Link.

“Don’t worry, I’ll show you. Go tie up Lightning and I’ll get Madame, ‘cause I know she won’t let you.” Rhett instructed, getting a halter and rope for himself. He followed Link out and hopped over the fence, making his way to Madame. Link was nervous, trying not to shake as he tied Lightning up and to the fence. 

Link helped Rhett carry everything they needed back to the horses, watching from a distance as Rhett got Madame ready. He memorised the steps in his head, determined he wouldn’t need Rhett’s help to get Lightning ready. Quick groom, saddle pad, saddle, girth, cross ties, headpiece, buckle, untie. He got to work getting Lightning ready before Rhett even came over.

They lead the two horses out of the horse pasture, walking about twenty or so yards from the house towards a forest path before Rhett stopped and turned towards Link. He grinned. “Ready to ride?” he asked. Link’s stomach flopped.

“What if I said that this was a terrible idea and I’d prefer to run screaming out into the forest instead?” he laughed. Rhett snickered, walking up to Link and placing his hands down on Link’s hips. Link’s eyebrows lifted in shock, the tips of his ears feeling hot. “U-uh…”

“C’mon,” Rhett said, sliding his hands up Link’s torso and hooking him under the armpits. He grunted as he lifted Link into the air, to which Link yelped in alarm and frantically tried to climb of top of Lightning. Link grabbed at the reins and mounted, hugging Lightning with his legs. After inserting his feet into the stirrups and holding the reins for dear life, he looked down at Rhett.

“Wh-what do I do?” he stammered, feeling anxiety press hard in his chest. His breathing was slightly ragged. Rhett walked around Lightning and proceeded to mount Madame like it was nothing. 

“Give him a little squeeze to get him to walk. If you want him to jog, give him a really light little kick. If you want him to turn left, move the reins on the left side of his neck, and to turn right, move ‘em to the right side. Don’t worry, we don’t gotta go fast. I’ll right by ya the whole time.” Rhett reassured, signalling Madame into a walk. Link swallowed the lump in his throat and did the same to Lightning, who fell into pace with Madame.

Link thought he was going to vomit. He gazed around at the trees surrounding their path, popping oranges, reds, browns, yellows, gently fluttering to the ground to create a softer underfoot. He squinted, melodies and words words words dancing around in his mind as he observed the nature in silence. The noise of hooves crushing the soil beneath sparked an idea. He glanced over at Rhett.

“...I’ve crushed dirt clots with my boots,” he sang weakly, anxiety easing. Rhett did a double take, looking beyond confused.

“...what?” he asked. Link licked his lips, finding that he was still nervous after all.

“Y’know, like… at your birthday. I’ve crushed cans, and I’ve crushed gravel, and I’ve crushed Gramma’s leg in the door of a Cadillac.” he reminded. “Then it can go… I’ve crushed dirt clots with my boots… and… and boxes after I moved.”

Rhett stared blankly.

“...I’d like to crush you,” Link demoed, pretty poorly at that, as he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted the chorus to sound like.

“No.” Rhett decided, giving Link a funny look. Link did suppose that sounded funny.

“...under the weight of my love,” he added quickly, considering it for a moment. He cleared his throat. By this point, he was just thinking about rhyming. “I’d like to hug you, with the… gentle caress of a dove?”

Rhett finally laughed, shaking his head in amusement. Or maybe disappointment. Probably both. Link supposed it was kinda funny. He decided not to take it personally.

“I don’t know, I just made that up. Throw an animal into it, why not.” he smirked, fighting off snickers. Rhett shook his head again, watching the path ahead of them.

“What are we gonna name this weird country band we’re apparently makin’?” he had to ask. _Weird country band,_ Link thought. He realised they were both on the same terms of it being a joke band, one that was kind of spiteful to Mr. McLaughlin.

“I don’t know, man.” Link snorted. He glanced over. “What’s the most country name you can think of?”

“Redd ‘Rabbitclaw’ Moonshine.” Rhett immediately said, almost like he’d thought about it before. Link immediately laughed.

“Rhett, what the hell.” he managed through his laughter. Rhett joined in, covering his face with a hand in embarrassment. 

“Well, you said the most country name I could think of! I could be Redd ‘Rabbitclaw’ Moonshine and you could be… La… Li…” Rhett pondered it for a minute. When it came to him, his face lit up and he immediately looked at Link. “Lohn Lightning! Just ‘cause you’re ridin’ Lightning.”

“Rabbit Lightning.” Link finished. “That’s it. That’s gotta be the band name. It’s perfect.” Rhett laughed and nodded in agreement. 

Link noticed the mugginess in the cool draft that kissed his face. They couldn’t escape Georgian humidity, not even in November. He also noticed that he was a lot more relaxed than he had been when they’d first gotten on the horses. Rhett always put him at ease.

“Dad said that come spring, we’re gonna get some calves. I don’t know how many, but that seems to be the plan.” Rhett informed, stopping Madame in her tracks. Link was quick to stop Lightning as well, even though he was a little ahead of Rhett when he did. He looked back.

“Have y’all ever had calves before?” he asked, trying to encourage the conversation flow. He could honestly care less about calves, but it was nice listening to Rhett talk. He remembered Rhett as being really talky, and now, when he actually did talk, he felt the need to apologise profusely for talking too much even though Link felt it wasn’t enough.

“Both Mom and Dad grew up with them. I’ve never had any. I guess I could just… care less about it.” Rhett admitted. He sighed heavily. “I don’t wanna be here anymore, Link. I don’t like who I am. I’m so dissatisfied.”

Link almost made a comment about how he could relate, but decided that, for once, he wouldn’t make it about himself. He remained silent and allowed Rhett to talk.

“I’m so stuck in the future I can’t enjoy the present. It’s always been like that. My idea of the future has changed so much these past years, since we left Buies Creek… but one thing’s still the same. My future always has you in it. And all of this, this ain’t me.” Rhett reached up and angrily took off his cowboy hat, then proceeded to chuck it somewhere in the forest. Link just watched in vague shock, clammy palms clenching the reins on his horse. “I act like I’m happy, like I’m fine with this… but I do it all, it all, for my dad. I ain’t happy. When I said we balance each other out… we do. We do, Link. I’ve… I’ve been so lost…”

Link’s heart dropped when he spotted the tears sparkling in Rhett’s eyes. Rhett turned his head away, so Link didn’t get the chance to see them for too long. Link wanted to open up and confess the same feelings about it, but he could not bring himself to open up about anything. Any of it. Instead, what came out was, “I’m here now, Rhett.”

“Why won’t you open up to me?” Rhett asked, somewhat hotly. He looked across at Link, sorrow in his eyes. Link paled. His body felt light and filled with dread. “We… we act like things are back to normal, like they were, but I can tell they’re not… we’ve both changed, a-and things won’t be the same if we can’t talk to each other.”

“There’s nothing to say,” stammered Link. _There’s plenty to say,_ thought Link.

“There’s plenty to say,” said Rhett. Link averted his stare, beginning to worry if Rhett could read his mind. “I’ve been a good kid since we’ve been gone. I don’t got anythin’ to open up about. All I can do is go on about how I’ve missed you. But I know there’s plenty you have to tell me, and it’s hurting you, so it hurts me, and I don’t wanna hurt anymore, Link, I don’t want you to hurt anymo--”

“It doesn’t matter, Rhett, it doesn’t matter.” Link insisted. Everything he’d thought about calming down was a lie. Anxiety was stirring violently in his chest.

“It does matter, Link. You act like it doesn’t upset you but it obviously does. I just want to help you and listen.” Rhett demanded. Link found that he was turning his head away this time. All was silent, but only for a moment. “What happened? Why were you at the police station that night?”

“I DIDN’T DO IT!” Link screamed, his voice echoing off the trees and spooking the horses in the process. He gritted his teeth and got Lightning to turn around and set him into a run back the way they came. Rhett called his name, but Link had no intention of turning back, as with most things he did in life.

He hadn’t done anything that night. It was the same as it was during holidays, or other random points in his day to day life. He was just sitting in the corner of that drug den while his friends filled syringes. He didn’t do it. He didn’t do it. He did not do it.

Smoke filled his nostrils and his lungs all over again. Another piece of the mystery dream had been placed. He thought he was going to have a nervous breakdown.

Link hopped off Lightning and frantically ushered him in the stable, not bothering to take everything off of him as he tore out and away, this time not running to the house to hide in the room, but to the road.

He was almost there. He was almost to the road, and he could run, anywhere he wanted, with no one that would recognise him, or know his name, or know how much of a burden he was. _I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it, I didn’t--_

His arm was clenched and he was jerked into a full force stop. He snapped his head backwards and found Rhett standing there, panting as he held Link’s arm with the strength of a clamp. Link almost struggled against him, but instead found himself simply watching Rhett instead. He slowly turned around.

Rhett immediately tugged Link forward into him and pulled him into a tight hug. Link almost instantly threw his arms around Rhett in return, rested his head against his chest. “Why are you always so far away, man?” Rhett mumbled. Link’s heart ached for him and for himself.

“I don’t know how to be close anymore,” Link replied, voice muffled in Rhett’s chest. He closed his eyes when he felt Rhett’s fingers curl in his hair. His short, short hair. The horses neighed in the distance, waiting to be tended.

“Can I help you?” Rhett asked quietly, resting his cheek on Link’s head. 

Link felt those words resonate within him, deep in his heart and soul. He held his emotions hard in his heart, too stubborn to show them, to afraid to express them. He couldn’t open up to himself, and as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t open up to Rhett. He just couldn’t. He wanted to go back to laughing at bad jokes, and lame country bands, and stories about being younger; he didn’t want to experience real emotions anymore. Yet those words, those words Rhett had just asked, they were suddenly beginning to eat away at the thick wall Link had built. Link wanted to jump the wall and finally he was seeing an opportunity.

“Please,” Link whispered, choking out the words as he held Rhett tighter. He never wanted to let go of Rhett. But they parted, and then they walked back and tended to the horses.


	11. xi

“Your grades are goin’ up,” Mama Di said, looking over Link’s report card. Link grinned proudly, but maintained a humble appearance as he came in through the front door. “I’m so proud of you, Link.”

“Thanks,” Link replied. Rhett came in the door behind him, adjusting the scarf around his neck. He placed his hand on Link’s lower back and Link flinched, only to find himself flustered immediately after. He bashfully looked away.

“Hey, baby,” Mama Di greeted Rhett. Rhett smiled warmly at her, walking out from behind Link and further into the living room. He kicked off his boots.

“Hey, Mama!” he returned, voice bubbly as ever. Link removed his own shoes and pulled off his backpack, gripping it firmly from the top. “Can we grab a snack?”

“Sure thing.” she agreed, turning the channel to some other home decorating channel. Rhett grinned at Link and ushered him into the kitchen. Link rested his backpack on top of the table and sat down, watching Rhett begin to dig around in the fridge.

“I’m glad it’s you puttin’ it together,” Link commented. “I hate cooking. This dinner thing is killing me. I don’t know how I haven’t burnt down the kitchen yet. The extent of my cooking abilities is making cereal.”

“Your cooking definitely ain’t Mama’s cooking,” Rhett added cheekily. Link snorted, resting his arms on the table.

“Love you too, man.” Link joked, not noticing the way Rhett’s face became as red as blooming rose, or the way he immediately faced the inside of the fridge again.

“You know, I used to want to be a chef.” Rhett commented, trying to hide how flustered he was. He pulled out a pitcher of sweet tea, regardless of the fact it wasn’t exactly a ‘snack.’ He hurried to get a couple of tall glasses.

“I remember that, actually,” Link grinned in nostalgia. “You would pretend that you were the head chef and I would pretend I was the sous chef, but we would say it soosh chef ‘cause we didn’t know any better.”

Rhett set the glasses in front of them, then moved to get some ice cubes despite that it was almost the weather to snow outside. “Yeah, and we’d sit in your kitchen, with the Easy Bake, and we would listen to Jambalaya and occasionally different Sugarland songs and most the time the batter would get all burnt.” Rhett recollected brightly, pouring them each a glass of sweet tea.

“Do you still want to be a chef?” Link asked reaching across the table for his glass. Rhett put the tea away and sat across from Link, drinking him in with his eyes rather than drinking the actual beverage in his hand.

“Nah, that dream kinda died when we left,” Rhett answered, looking down at the table. Link almost frowned, but decided not to get too upset about it. He took a sip of his tea.

“What do you want to do when we graduate? I mean, if you know, I mean.” Link stuttered. Rhett began to smile shyly, peeking between Link and the table several times. 

“I’d--” Before he could finish, Mr. McLaughlin walked in through the kitchen door right then. Rhett’s smile immediately dropped and Link slightly furrowed his brows. That change of emotion hadn’t gone unnoticed. “...like to be a civil engineer,” Rhett finished, but Link noted the lack of passion in his tone.

Mr. McLaughlin walked past Rhett and patted his shoulder proudly, happily adding, “That’s my boy.” Link crinkled his nose up ever-so-slightly, taking a long drink of his tea as he turned his head away from the scene. Mr. McLaughlin began to leave the room.

“What about you?” Rhett asked in return, a little more sad than he had before. He finally sipped his drink. Link stared down at the ice in his glass. _I want to be by your side,_ Link thought.

“I don’t know yet.” he said. Mr. McLaughlin and Mama Di were having a conversation in the living room. He suddenly felt overwhelmed. He hated how easily he got overwhelmed.

Like always, Rhett seemed to read his mind. “Do you wanna go in our room?” he suggested. Link looked up.

“We can bring our drinks in there?” he asked. Rhett smirked, leaned in closer.

“Well, no,” he mumbled. “But they don’t gotta know.” Link couldn’t fight the sly grin in on his face. They picked up their drinks and made their way to the room, Link taking his backpack along with him.

“Since when did Rhett McLaughlin become such a bad boy?” he teased quietly. Rhett giggled, holding open the bedroom door for Link.

“Since Link Neal came back,” he said. They entered together and Rhett closed the door behind him. Link sat down on his bed and set his glass on his nightstand. He was expecting Rhett to sit on his own bed, only to watch as Rhett came over and sat down next to him instead. Rhett passed his cup to Link for Link to set on the nightstand.

“You don’t really wanna be a civil engineer, do you, Rhett?” Link wasted no time asking. Rhett hesitated before answering.

“...no, it’s what my dad wants.” he exhaled. “Remember when we were kids, Link? We would play pretend for hours. We would run around and act out scenes from our favourite shows and books, or own characters. We would pretend that were knights and kill off mythical creatures.”

Link blushed. “Uh, Rhett, last I recalled, we would pretend that _you_ were the knight, and I was a prince from a far away land, and you tried to rescue me from a dragon, except it was a cockatrice, and the role of the cockatrice was played by my cat.” 

Rhett instantly started laughing at that, which in turn caused Link to smile and begin to giggle. “That’s right, that’s what it was!” he cackled, clapping his hands as he thought about it. He lowered his hands and pressed them on the bed, shaking his head with a grin. “Anyway… that’s what I want to do when I’m older. I want to entertain people on the Internet, and make them smile, and be happy.”

“You want to… Internetain people,” Link suggested, smirking at his own pun. Rhett enthusiastically bobbed his head up and down, eyes glowing with joy.

“Yes! Yes! Exactly! I want to make a show, or maybe three, and I want to do fun things, things that help people, things that make people laugh, things that make me laugh!” Rhett exclaimed so passionately, getting his whole body into the motions. “Like, I have this vision. We could reenact skits from different things, or even make our own skits, or--or you know that assignment we had, in video production? Make a Commercial for a Local Business? Something like that, like, we could make commercials for small businesses that need our help. Just… anything. Anything that makes an impact, that gets our foot out the door, with filming, and laughing, and singing, and having fun. Tasting the world, seeing the world, feeling the world…”

“You want to do all this… with me?” Link asked, just to confirm, despite the obvious. Rhett turned his head to peer at him, softly.

“I always have. I wouldn’t want to with anyone else but my best friend,” he confirmed. Link stared into Rhett’s eyes. He realised his hand was almost on top of Rhett’s. He jerked his hand away and blushed brightly, looking away.

“Uh, sorry,” he laughed anxiously, missing the slightly saddened expression on Rhett’s face that he’d pulled away.

“It’s fine,” Rhett muttered. Link looked at their glasses of sweet tea, side by side, watched the condensation roll down the side. 

“Those seven years were hell.” Link said emotionlessly, continuing to stare at the glass. He could feel the bed shift next to him, but he didn’t tear his gaze away from the cup for even a second. “The first year, I convinced myself that you were gonna come back. I didn’t do anything. I isolated myself from everyone. All I did was stay at home. Then one day, I remember it, my mom smacked me across the face, with the flat of her palm--and reality--and she told me, ‘Link, Rhett’s gone. Get over it.’ and I realised it was real.”

Rhett’s hand grabbed his anyway. Link found that he clenched Rhett’s hand back instantly.

“I don’t know how it got so bad after that. Home life already sucked, and I never learnt how to deal with losing you. I felt like half of my soul died. I called them my friends, but they never really were my friends. My way of coping was doing bad things. I never fell into drugs. Booze, sure, but… watching them sit around that house, man… I…” Link’s voice trailed off. _I didn’t do it._ “I’m glad I have you back, Rhett. I… I lo… yeah.”

“You too, Link.” Rhett returned, squeezing Link’s clammy palm. Link slowly looked over at Rhett. _Lean in, lean in, lean in,_ Link thought, but it didn’t happen.

“I stole your codeine, Rhett,” blurted out Link, almost involuntarily. Rhett didn’t look angry, or even surprised, which left Link surprised in return.

“I know you did.” Rhett said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I noticed some were missing, and like hell you learnt a lesson. You weren’t yourself. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell anybody, and I’m not upset… just worried about you.”

“...I’m not as smooth as I thought,” Link laughed in embarrassment. Rhett chuckled along with him, but it was distant. He looked away pensively.

Link inhaled Rhett’s scent. It had a sweetness about it, something like strawberries, but was mixed along with a woody, earthy smell at the same time. He noticed the way Rhett just slightly slouched, and the way his long legs were bent so awkwardly. His eyes scanned Rhett’s bearded face, the way the setting sun peeked in through the window and kissed his face in all the right ways, how the light shone on his green eyes and sparked a bright twinkle.

“C’mere, baby,” Rhett said, pulling his hand from Link’s to wrap it around Link’s shoulder instead. The apples of Link’s cheeks burnt as he scooted closer.

“Don’t call me baby, it embarrasses me,” Link laughed weakly, resting his head on Rhett’s shoulder. He wondered what was happening, but decided not to question it.

“I wasn’t callin’ _you_ baby, I was callin’ the situation baby,” Rhett insisted, rubbing Link’s arm comfortingly. Link snorted, glancing up at Rhett and laughing quietly.

“Yeah right.” he disagreed, settling back down and into Rhett. He bit his lip softly, anxiously playing with his fingers. He could feel how equally tense and nervous Rhett was. “...you ain’t leavin’ this time, right, Rhett?”

“I’m only leavin’ if it’s with you.” Rhett answered, nuzzling Link lightly. A smile graced Link’s lips. He hugged Rhett’s chest tightly and hid his face. Their bodies were so close. Link was beginning to beads of sweat on his forehead. Rhett’s breath was hitting his skin.

Link laughed and pulled away to grab his sweet tea, but only to distract from what had just happened. Rhett seemed as relieved as Link by this, and after Link passed him his cup, they dinked their glasses and laughed together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo early update cos im watching mark keplers live charity stream all day tmrw lmao


	12. xii

Link wanted to cry as he stared at the trash can.

Pumpkin pie, check. Mashed potatoes, check. Stuffing, check. Cranberry sauce, check. Biscuits, check. Green beans, check. All of those items were things Mama Di was going to make for the big day. Turkey Day. The day to end all days.

But there was no turkey.

There was _gonna_ be, they were getting it ready with butter and rosemary and thyme and other goodness when Mr. McLaughlin threw a curveball in Link’s way. Link who was a disaster in the kitchen.

Link was gonna find a way to cook that turkey, but in a trash can, one that Mr. McLaughlin had bought solely for the purpose of making Link suffer, all because Link had burnt the first round of biscuits. Mama Di had argued with him over it, because today was a holiday, and it wasn’t fair to do that. Well, life wasn’t fair.

How the hell was Link going to cook a turkey like this? Link didn’t know how to cook a turkey anyway. He could hear Rhett’s voice in his head saying, _Welcome to Hell,_ and Link was sure this was exactly what Hell felt like.

He looked down at the turkey at his side, all seasoned and swimming in its own juice and ready for a good cook. A good cook? In a trash can? Link sighed and buried his face in his hands. Hell. _Hell._

“Hey, Link,” Rhett said in the distance, and Link immediately looked up, his hair dropping to his forehead. He blinked several times fast. Rhett was carrying three rolls of aluminum foil, a large wooden stake, and two pairs of heavy duty gloves. “You’re lookin’ good in that cardigan.”

“Rhett, what’re you doin’, man?” Link asked, picking up the pan with the turkey and grunting as he got to his feet. 

“I gotta go get the charcoal bags and some newspaper, and the matches. While I’m gettin’ that, lay out some of this foil on the ground to put the coals on. Oh. And drive the stake into the ground, but just enough for it to be stable and not wobbly.” Rhett babbled, but didn’t explain what he was actually doing. He dropped the things on the ground and turned around.

Link bent over and carefully set the turkey down. He had no idea what Rhett was doing, or if he was helping (he’d assumed Rhett wasn’t allowed to help), but he listened anyway. By the time he stabbed the post into the ground and laid out a long patch of foil, Rhett was returning with the rest of the items. 

He opened the charcoal bags and poured it over the laid out foil, then lit the newspaper and lit the coals from the bottom with it. He then looked over at Link. “Let’s assemble our turkey.”

“You don’t actually think we’re going to cook a turkey like this, right?” Link snorted. Rhett smirked.

“Uh, duh. Of course I do. I can cook a turkey in a trash can. I used my mom’s phone and looked up how. Easy peasy. We can pretend we’re in the apocalypse,” Rhett said. “It’s gonna happen. We’ll be prepared.”

“We still celebratin’ Turkey Day during the apocalypse?” Link asked in amusement. Rhett laughed lightly.

“Why we gonna let that stop us from enjoying a big feast, man?” Rhett retorted playfully, getting the rest of their supplies and carrying it to the post. “Let’s cover this with the foil, then make a little bed of foil at the bottom so it’ll bring the heat upwards.”

Link caught one of the rolls of aluminum foil, immediately setting to work wrapping the stake with his foil. Rhett hurried to help.

“Don’t wanna get any post-apocalyptic diseases in our turkey,” he commented. Link giggled, before Rhett paused and looked up. “Dang it,” he muttered. Link looked over with a quirked brow. “I forgot the dang shovels. I’ll go grab them. Oh, and a couple lawn chairs.”

“This list keeps increasin’. How we gonna find all this in the apocalypse?” Link teased. Rhett rolled his eyes at Link, waving his hand dismissively as he began to jog away.

Link grinned to himself. Like always, Rhett had not only made him feel better, but had saved the day. Manly man Rhett came back somehow balancing two shovels and two folding chairs. “The charcoal looks like it’s heatin’ up nicely. Put the turkey on the thing.”

Rhett set the lawn chairs down next to each other and opened them, while Link bent down for the turkey. Link grunted as he lifted it, saying in a high pitched voice, “Ooh, he’s heavy.” He brought it over and put in on through its cavity, as Rhett lifted the trash can. Link picked up the tray with the juices still in it and started to pour it over the turkey. Rhett wrinkled his nose.

“I would’ve opted not to do that, but okay,” he commented. Link rolled his eyes and set the pan back on the ground. Rhett lowered the trash can over the turkey.

“Time to apply the heat rocks.” Link said, looking over at the charcoal. It didn’t look quite heated up yet, only a few were white, but Rhett was walking over to them anyway. 

“Gotta put on your stolen gloves,” Rhett noted. Link snorted, putting on his own gloves and not commenting on the fact Rhett had neglected to do the same thing.

“Right,” Link mumbled.

“Grab a shovel, Link.” Rhett instructed, beginning to shovel up the charcoal. Link hurried over to assist Rhett, carrying his shovel full to the trash can. They poured the coals on the top of the trash can, then went through the process of putting the rest of the coals around the trash can. By the end of it, both were lightly panting. “Okay… okay, so what I’ve been told by our apocalypse experts is that this is gonna take about an hour to cook.”

“So I guess we just sit here and chill?” Link asked. It was chilly enough out to properly chill. Rhett shrugged, grabbing his chair and bringing it closer to the trash can. Link copied him.

“Hoo, my face is baking,” Rhett said, wincing at the heat. Link smiled, plopping down on his chair. 

“Yeah, man. It’s hot.” Link nodded. Rhett looked around, then back towards the house.

“Hold on, I’m gonna go tell Mama she can start the other stuff. It ain’t gonna take half as long to cook as it usually does. Oh, and also, check the time.” he informed, once again turning to return to the house. Link stared at the trash can set up they’d made. He didn’t know you could even cook a turkey in a trash can, but there they were. Suck it, Mr. McLaughlin.

When Rhett came back out, he was carrying his guitar. Link watched him, a brow lifted in curiosity. The closer Rhett got, the more he started to smile. “Hey Rhett,” Link began, snickering, “where’d you get the guitar?”

“...you know that guy with the gloves?” Rhett returned cheekily, laughing between his words. Link’s giggling increased.

“Dude had a guitar, too?”

“It’s the gift that keeps on giving.” Rhett laughed. “He had a pick, too. Right there in his gloved hand.” He showed Link the bright green pick. “My idea is that… we can sing.”

“I understand.” Link answered, nodding. “I understood that… I understood you to mean that when I saw you come back with a guitar.”

Rhett tried to finish getting his giggles out as he strummed his guitar. “I was thinkin’ something very dark, dismal… something in minor. Y’know, ‘cause we’re gonna die anyway.”

“Very optimistic, Rhett,” Link said sarcastically, giving him a lopsided smile.

“We’re here together, in these apocalyptic lands, bein’ chased… by a biker gang, who’s got flamethrowers for hands,” Rhett started almost immediately, and really, Link was surprised he’d come up with it so fast. He rushed to think of what the next line could be. They were still celebrating Turkey Day during the apocalypse, apparently…

“But we won’t let that stop us,” Link added, unable to stop grinning, “from enjoying a Thanksgiving feast.”

“No…”

“Even though everyone we know is deceased.”

“We got a turkey in a trash can,” Rhett sang, instantly causing the both of them to laugh mid song. Link echoed Rhett. “Has anybody seen our friend Stan?”

“He was playin’ guitar and he had gloves on,” Link guffawed, shaking his head as they sang the chorus again.

“And I’ll bet we’ll be singin’ this song sixty minutes from now…” Rhett trailed off, eventually trailing off on the guitar as well. They found themselves blankly staring at the trash can after that, the breeze tickling their necks. Link reckoned it would snow soon. Maybe they’d have a white Christmas for once.

“...you got a watch?” Link asked after a few minutes of awkward silence. Rhett laughed, shaking his head.

“This is just an educated guess, but I don’t think it’s been sixty minutes.” Rhett noted. Link twittered, listening to the charcoal burning and popping every once in awhile. “This is gonna make a really funny video when we’re older.”

“Video?” Link asked, lifting his eyebrow as he rotated his head to Rhett. Rhett looked offended that Link had even asked.

“Uh, yeah.” he scoffed. “We got the talent, Link. I don’t know exactly what’s gonna happen, but it’s gonna be really cool, and--” Rhett stopped, starting to blush brightly. “S-sorry, I’m talking too much.”

Link grinned warmly. “It’s okay, Rhett! You’re fine. Tell me what you wanna say, it ain’t bothering me.” Link encouraged, imagining himself reaching over and taking Rhett’s hand, but they were too far apart. Rhett’s face brightened at this reassurance and he relaxed his shoulders, his smile genuine and comfortable.

“O-okay, well, um… think about all of the possibilities, Link. There are millions, and so many things to do. We could reenact Shakespeare, but we could also do Monty Python style things, you know? Or combine it. I have this dream, Link. It’s been this dream I’ve had since, well, like, forever, I think. It doesn’t matter if it’s in front of a camera or not. I always see us together, enjoying ourselves. When they would ask about my future the past few years, I still saw you. The only difference is now I have an accurate vision of what you look like. It was scary, man. I was beginning to forget your facial features… all I could remember were your blue eyes.

Remember when we were younger and we would sometimes make little movies? Why not still do that? We could talk about anything we wanted, about our different layers, the news, movies, anything. We don’t have to go down a path that means success. Like, sure, material things are cool, but you’re cheap and I like camping anyway, and I’ll be okay if you’re by my side. And who knows, maybe we’ll make it big. I know you and I don’t have Internet access right now--thanks, Dad, you prick--but someday, we can. It’ll be so fun, Link.” Rhett rambled, looking at Link in the way you look at your food coming in a restaurant. Link’s body felt so warm even in the cool weather, not just from the coals burning, either.

“Did you just call your dad a prick?” Link asked in disbelief. Rhett laughed like Link hadn’t heard him laugh before.

“He is, ain’t he?” Rhett pointed out, clapping his hand on his knee. Link could feel the weight being lifted from Rhett’s shoulders himself. In turn, the weight began to lift off of Link’s shoulders. Why wasn’t he more open with Rhett?

_I didn’t do it._

“Have I told you that you have a beautiful smile?” Rhett asked suddenly, soft gaze fixed on Link’s mouth. Link adjusted his glasses and tipped his head in Rhett’s direction. “It’s good to finally see you smiling again.”

“You make me smile.” Link answered, fidgeting in his spot as he laughed. Rhett’s lips turned upwards at Link’s laughing.

“I could stare at that smile all day,” Rhett said quietly. Link bashfully covered his face, unable to stop his flustered giggling.

“You flirtin’ with me, Rhett?” he finally asked. He laughed harder when he heard the way Rhett sputtered, or looked over to see Rhett frantically shifting in his spot and sitting up straight. Rhett’s face looked as hot as the charcoals burning in front of them.

“I w-wasn’t, I-I was just, I--we-well, I just--l-listen! I’m--”

“I didn’t say to stop,” Link added. “You know what you said about starin’ at my smile all day? Well, I could listen to you all day, so keep goin’, Barbie Boy.” Rhett gaped at Link, stunned. However, he couldn’t help the smile growing on his bearded face.

“You mean that?” he asked, to confirm.

“Duh.” Link huffed. “Rhett, I trust you more than anybody in the world. Since we were kids, man. It’s been awhile, but I’ve been realising more and more than you’re the most important person in my life and when it is the apocalypse, and it is the end of the world, and everything’s dead and consumed in fire and nothingness, I want to go down with you. No matter what. Our feelings for each other will be the only thing standing on Earth.”

Rhett looked over at Link, teary eyed.

“I’ve always wanted to mean something to somebody,” Link said, and while it sounded like he was going to finish that statement, he left it open.

“You mean something to me,” Rhett finished instead. “You’re my universe.”

Link wasn’t just a star. His face lit up in glee as he peered at Rhett. “You don’t mean that, man,” he argued. Rhett laughed in disbelief that Link dared to question it. He physically rotated his body towards him.

“I do mean that. You remember that fight in third grade, when I punched John Carson in the belly ‘cause he was running his mouth about you? You didn’t hear about how when my dad told me he was disappointed in me, I, good boy Rhett, yelled at my dad and got up and stormed out. After we moved and your mom would sometimes call and tell us about all the bad things you did, I defended you every time. My anxiety’s still real bad, but you being here, next to me, is helping me ease that. That’s not to say I’m using you like medicine, ‘cause you should never use people as medicine, but you’re like, the other half of my existence, man. I’m starting to feel like myself again,” Rhett vented, tears falling from his eyes. Link quietly watched him the whole time. He’d forgotten that about Rhett, that Rhett was very emotional. All he could think was how endearing it was.

“Rhett,” Link breathed, voice not above a whisper. Rhett wiped at his eyes and smiled, laughing nervously.

“You’re my past and my present and my future, Link.” he reiterated. Link desperately tried to search for words, but failed to find them. “Do you know how many times I’ve laid in my damned bed at night and listened to Vanilla Twilight on repeat all night these past seven years?”

“Did you just swear?” Link gasped, grinning. Rhett laughed a little harder.

“Your fault, Neal.” he joked. Just when Link had finally found his words, Rhett noticed the time on his watch and picked up his guitar again. He sniffed, composed himself for a second before immediately belting out, “We’ve still got a turkey in a trash can.”

Link smiled fondly, deciding he’d spill his emotions to Rhett later as he echoed, “Turkey in a trash can.”

“A turkey in a trash can.”

“Turkey in a trash can.”

“We can’t locate a woman,” Rhett sang. Link thought to himself how that was a blatant move of Rhett trying to repair his fragile masculinity after that conversation, but added onto it anyway.

“...preferably we’d find two,” Link stated in underlying confusion.

“We got a turkey in a trash can.”

“Now let’s get it out!” Link finished off the song, leaning forward and getting ready to stand. Rhett laughed lightly, setting his guitar to the side and reaching for his gloves.

“Yeah-heah,” he agreed, grunting as he stood up. Link licked his lips, getting in a stance as he got ready to grab the trash can. “Where we grabbin’?”

“Uh, just kinda… smush, push, lift and move.” Link decided, getting ready to grab the sides.

“Don’t use the handle?” Rhett asked. Link shook his head.

“You can use the handle,” Link said. They placed one hand each towards the top, then the other hands to grab the handles. They lifted the trash can carefully, and upon seeing the turkey underneath, both started to grin from ear to ear. “That’s a turkey! Ooh! Ooh! Look at that!”

“That looks better than my mama’s Turkey Day turkeys,” Rhett commented, mouth watering as he observed the golden brown turkey. They squatted down and Rhett poked it quickly, only before they both looked at each other with bright eyes.

“You did it, Rhett. You saved the day,” Link said incredulously. Rhett shook his head, grinning.

“We did it,” he insisted. He then reached up and scratched his hair. “How the heck are gonna get this in there?”

“Like this.” Link said. He carefully lifted the turkey from the post and started to slowly carry it to the house. Rhett followed him in long strides. He slid open the door for Link, where Mr. McLaughlin was setting the table and Mama Di was putting everything out to serve. The look on Mr. McLaughlin’s face made it all worth it.

“Thanksgivin’ turkey,” Rhett announced. Both Mr. McLaughlin and Mama Di looked at each other in shock, and Link put the turkey on the plate on the centre of the table. “Can I carve it?”

“Sure,” Mr. McLaughlin answered, too stunned to properly process it. Rhett excitedly moved to get the carving knife as Link walked to the sink to wash his hands, all while wearing a smug smirk.

Victory had never tasted so juicy, and Link had never been more proud than he was getting glared at by Mr. McLaughlin over Thanksgiving dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope yall have a good turkey day!


	13. xiii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: gagging mention

Link wondered if this was going to set the tone for the rest of December. God, he hoped not.

The teacher in video production was out for the day, and rather than having a substitute or going to the library like they would’ve in Buies Creek, the students just sat around in the room and wasted time. There were, in total, six kids in the class, which was perfect because all of the assignments had partners (occasionally more than three, but usually just two). There were obviously Rhett and Link, Felix, Jen, Chase, and Stevie. Stevie and Jen were partners, which left Felix and Chase together.

And things were getting pretty weird.

The three of them were sitting there, in the order of Rhett, Felix, and Link. Two cans, Surströmming and mackerel, were in front of them, along with three plastic forks and a can opener. 

“So this came all the way from Sweden? You brought this from Sweden?” Rhett asked, just to confirm. He was wearing a red t-shirt and aside from the fact Link thought he was more than handsome in it, he was happy that Rhett was finally getting to live the dream of wearing a t-shirt.

“Of course, dude. I was waiting for a moment exactly like this.” Felix answered, eyeing the cans warily. Link crinkled his nose, still not sure about it.

“Look, I’ve never been very… adventurous when it comes to food,” Link said hesitantly. Rhett reached over and rested his hand on Link’s forearm.

“Do it, Link. For the entertaining.” Rhett encouraged. As Felix gave a sarcastic laugh, Link squinted at Rhett.

“Entertaining who?” he asked hotly.

“Us,” Jen snorted, her arms folded across her chest as she leaned her back on the desk. Link grumbled underneath his breath as Stevie and Jen laughed. He thought he could hear Chase laugh, too, but it was nervous, and Link knew Chase was likely playing something on that girlsgogames site instead. 

“Is it gonna stink up in here?” Rhett asked, clasping his hands together. Felix continued to eye the Surströmming.

“Ehhhm… this one, this one is Surströmming, it’s… eh, I don’t know what it’s called, like, sour type of fish. I don’t know what it is in English.” Felix answered, but it wasn’t really an answer. “You eat it raw--”

“You eat it raw?” Rhett interrupted, gaping. Link’s stomach did flops.

“Raw?” he choked out, holding the can opener tightly in one hand. Rhett’s stare fixed on the can, along with everyone else’s.

“Whoa whoa whoa, it hasn’t been cooked?” he reiterated. Felix laughed.

“Yeah, it’s raw.” he said simply. “We usually eat it in Midsummer.”

“So you eat this? You actually eat this?” Link had to confirm, lifting the can with his free hand.

“We get drunk and we eat it, we eat that shit.” Felix said. After a moment, everyone began to laugh at the comment, even Link.

“Let’s eat raw fish,” Rhett joked, and while Felix began to talk more, Link set the can opener on the can and began to open it. The second it punched a hole in the can, it sprayed all over him, as did a little on Felix, and Rhett shot up and away from the scene as Felix sat there laughing and Link malfunctioned.

“Oh, oh my god--you know wha--” Link cut himself up, nose wrinkling up as he turned his head away. “OOOOOH, that smells!”

Felix covered his nose and turned his body away, laughing to the verge of tears as Rhett stood back against the row of desks behind them. Link awkwardly held the can opener in place, finding himself chuckling out in amusement and disgust.

“I’m done! I’m done!” Felix cried, getting up and walking away from the scene as Rhett leaned in to smell it better. He exclaimed in shock and pulled his shirt over his nose, stumbling backwards. As Link twisted his head around, he noticed Stevie standing back in a corner while Jen stood nearby, tears rolling down her face from laughing so hard. Chase was in the same boat as Stevie.

“All I did was poke a hole in it!” Link exclaimed, only to gag midway through his words. Rhett sat back down in his spot and Felix eventually joined them. “Guys, I was gonna say, like, I--”

There was a lot of loudness going on. Felix was laughing in his ear, Rhett was loudly saying something about, “Get it out!” and the girls were cackling in the background. Link kept trying to get his point out, ultimately feeling agitation coming over him. His stomach churned.

_‘You’re a terrible kid, Link.’ I didn’t do it! ‘Why can’t you be good like your step-siblings?’ Don’t call them that! ‘You’re such a disappointment.’ I didn’t do it! I swear, I didn’t! ‘You’re ruining my life.’ Mom, listen to me, I-- ‘I’m ready to kill myself.’ Listen to me! ‘You did this.’ I didn’t do it! Listen to me! Listen to me!_

“Listen to me!” Link yelled at Rhett, immediately shutting the room up. Both Felix and Rhett gawked, Felix nervously laughing afterwards and Rhett nervously laughing with him. He licked his lips awkwardly as Felix glanced at him and back to the can, Link returning his attention to his progress in ire. “It was bulging.”

“Oh, I-I thought that’s…”

“This thing has--” Link started.

“Yeah, it’s been fermenting for awhile.” Felix finished. The awkward moment ensued. Felix reached out for the mackerel. “How ‘bout we eat this one instead?” he suggested, shrugging his shoulders. Link found himself gagging more the longer the opened can just sat there.

“This thing needs to get out of the building,” Rhett added quietly. The laughter started up again as Link sat there and tried his hardest to process what the hell had just exactly happened.

“It needs to go out,” Link agreed, covering his mouth. Jen was trying to catch her breath as she stepped over. Link used his open hand to grab the can opener, and as he moved to pull it out, it popped once more and Rhett was instantly out of his seat again. The laughter filled the air, even from Link.

“It’s supposed to smell like that?” Rhett asked. As Jen reached out to take the can and move it to the other side of the room instead, Felix acted completely serious as he passed the mackerel to Link.

“Yes.” he answered. Rhett and Link looked at each other in shock. “No, it’s not. It smells bad, but not that bad.”

Link began to peel the mackerel can back, shaking his head at himself. “Y’all, I can’t do this.” he sighed. Rhett reached over and took the can, reaching in and grabbing one of the little mackerels. Felix took one himself and Link just stared at the can.

“C’mon, brother, we got this. Together,” Rhett encouraged, extending his free hand across the table for Link. Link reluctantly took it, giving Rhett the ‘I’d rather die’ expression. Rhett winked. 

“Oh, but I don’t get a hand to hold?” Felix teased. Rhett smiled and squeezed Link’s hand and Link suddenly felt extremely terrible for yelling at him.

“It’s our buddy system,” Rhett clarified. Link blushed, but he wasn’t about to clam up right here, in front of everybody.

“I can still smell it,” he muttered. Rhett chuckled, then almost bit into his until Stevie intervened at the last minute. She pulled out her phone.

“Let me record this.” she insisted, getting it ready. Jen watched over her shoulder while Chase slowly got closer. Rhett looked at the camera, holding up his fish.

“We’re about to eat Swedish food,” he announced.

“Let’s talk about that.” Link replied, instinctively. Jen giggled. Felix grinned mischievously, looking at Link.

“Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to say let’s eat that in this case?” he joked. Link scoffed, smirking at Felix. Rhett squeezed Link’s hand tighter and put the whole fish in his mouth. Felix immediately took a big chomp, but Link continued to nervously look at the fish. “Tastes like home,” Felix said midchew. Rhett lifted his eyebrows and nodded. Link finally bit off the head and considered it in silence for a moment.

“After smellin’ that other thing, I’m just glad to be alive,” he commented and Felix immediately began cackling. Just when he thought he was going to be okay, he began gagging roughly, releasing Rhett’s hand to place to over his mouth. Everyone started laughing again.

“It’s good,” Rhett insisted, nodding with approval. “It’s fishy, it’s sweet.”

Link curled over, dropping the mackerel back in the can and resting his head on the desk.

“It’s definitely something I would eat on week two of camping. Like, it’s something you’d have to eat, not a voluntary thing. I think the key is to explode a can of dead person fish bomb beforehand.” Rhett gave his commentary.

“The smell is still burning in my nostrils,” Felix shuddered, tittering quietly to himself. Link swallowed down the mackerel, then leaned back in his chair and threw his head up to the ceiling in exhaustion.

“Chase, get that thing outta here,” Rhett requested, referring to the Surströmming. Jen moved from behind Stevie, who was still recording. “Get a bag or somethin’ to put it in.”

Jen stole the bag from the trash can and walked over to Chase, helping him get the can in the bag. They bitched and moaned about the smell more, and Chase rushed to leave the room. Stevie walked up to Link and recorded his face, giggling all the while.

“How are you feeling, Link?” she asked. Link flicked his eyes at the camera, grunting.

“Like this is the worst first week of December I’ve ever had in my life,” he grumbled. Rhett got up and walked around behind Link, resting his hands on Link’s shoulders and squeezing. Stevie aimed the phone at the two of them.

“You know, you two would make really great entertainers.” she commented. The expression on Rhett’s face alone made Link feel better. They both began to smile.

“That’s the plan!” Rhett chirped. Stevie stopped recording. Felix raked his fingers through his hair.

“You’ve changed a lot since I got here, Rhett,” Felix noted curiously, smirking at the tall man. That’s what he was, a man. Eighteen. It was hard for Link to believe. “Like, you used to look all, like, spaghetti western and now you look like a weird hipster.”

“I’m glad I don’t look like that anymore,” Rhett cooed, wrapping his arms around Link’s neck and resting his head on his forehead. Link closed his eyes and embraced the moment, his cheeks burning. “Since Link’s back, I’m remembering who I was.”

“What? Link was gone? You guys act so close I thought he’d been here for like, forever.” Felix gasped. 

“Well, we are close. We always have been. But I moved back here from where Link’s from, and we were separated for like, seven years? Yeah. But he’s back now and I feel complete again.” Rhett purred, and Link could feel Rhett nuzzle him lightly.

“That’s cute,” Felix said. Chase came back in the room. “You two act like you’re dating.”

Link didn’t even know Rhett could move away so fast. His eyes flashed open and he looked back in vague shock while Rhett shoved his hands in his pockets and stood about a foot away. “N-no, no! Not at all. We’re just best friends.” Rhett babbled. Link laughed anxiously.

“Where’d you put that shit, Chase?” Link asked to change the subject. Chase played with his hands.

“In the boy’s restroom.” he murmured. The room erupted with loud chortling. The shy boy smiled and slowly joined the others sitting around. 

“It’s perfect,” Rhett gasped between his guffaws, “it smells like the worst shit ever!”

Link’s laughter stopped, but it went unnoticed. He watched Rhett in stun. He hadn’t heard Rhett swear like _that_ since they were in Buies Creek and they were weird little kids. His smile remained as bright as Chase’s computer screen as he peered at Rhett.

Maybe December wouldn’t be so bad.


	14. xiv

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: arguing, anxiety

“You’ve really changed since he’s got here, Rhett. I don’t know what’s goin’ through your mind, but you better knock it off before you get too out of control. You didn’t join basketball this year, out of nowhere, and don’t tell me it’s not because of him, ‘cause I’ve been seeing the way you’re starting to dress, and y’all are hangin’ out more, you’re doin’ his chores for hi--”

“I’m not doing his chores for him! I’m helping him ‘cause you’re givin’ him way too much for one person to deal with!”

Link had genuinely not been intending to eavesdrop that time. He’d slid in from the kitchen, quietly on accident, as he always did, and heard the big family discussion in the living room. He was hidden near the archway of the kitchen, so he could hear the conversation (only because it pertained to him). He hadn’t heard Mama Di yet, but he was hearing Mr. McLaughlin sigh.

“All right, so let’s talk about basketball for a minute then, Rhett. What the hell is going on? I know you’re not in it. I know you didn’t even sign up, even though the coach went to you. You were the best player. You have been the best player since you joined the damned team! What did Link tell you? How did he convince you to ruin your high school career like this?”

“He didn’t convince me of anything! Link hasn’t even mentioned basketball to me! Dad, I haven’t wanted to be in basketball since I was a sophomore!” Rhett retorted in a stern tone that Link had never heard him use to anyone, let alone his dad. “I’m eighteen, Dad, it’s my last year of high school. I want to make my own choices. None of these are my choices.”

“How come I haven’t heard about any of this ‘til he comes around?” Mr. McLaughlin shouted. Link winced, gnawing on his lip.

“Because you don’t listen,” Mama Di defended, her voice fragile and hesitant.

“Shut up, woman.” Mr. McLaughlin barked at her, which Rhett immediately responded to.

“Don’t you talk to Mama that way! She’s right!” Rhett snapped. Link could hear shuffling. His chest was so tight, yet felt like it was going to burst. _How is this_ not _my fault?_ he thought to himself with a heavy heart. “You don’t listen for the signs. All you think about is what _you_ want for me. You’ve never asked me what I want.”

“This wasn’t an issue when Link wasn’t here!” Mr. McLaughlin yelled and it rattled off the walls. “This was never, ever an issue when he wasn’t here! You just did it, and you went along with it, and you have never been a problem!”

“I just did it because I didn’t want to disappoint you! I’m an adult now, Dad, and I think that I should be allowed to make crucial life decisions for myself! Basketball isn’t even a crucial life decision and--”

“You live in my house, and you are my son.” Mr. McLaughlin interrupted. “You weren’t like this when it was just you. You only started this whole rebellion thing since he got here.”

“Stop blaming everything on Link.” Rhett returned firmly. “Link did absolutely nothing to contribute to this. Link is helping me cope with--with issues that I have, Dad. Link is my best friend. He always has been. You weren’t like this about him when we were in Buies Creek.”

Link played with his hands frantically, stare fixed ahead on the table and chairs in front of him. His jaw was clenched so hard he was beginning to give himself a headache, eyebrows arched as he fought to believe that he had caused this. Because he _had_ caused this, the rift in the McLaughlin family.

“Because he wasn’t a little hellion like this! Rhett, he doesn’t do anything right! He never does! He doesn’t learn, he won’t ever learn, and you know why? Because he doesn’t care! He doesn’t care about anything but himself and making everyone else’s lives harder! I hate him! I genuinely hate him!”

“Take that back. You take that fucking ba--”

“Rhett James McLaughlin, watch your language.”

Link covered his mouth with both hands, attempting to slow down his breathing from the anxiety working its way up in his throat. He turned his head just slightly in the direction of the living room, but didn’t move an inch more, frightened he’d somehow be caught.

“No! Don’t tell me what to do! You’ve never, ever been so wrong about anything else! Link has so much potential, and you don’t even give him a chance! He does all of this cleaning himself, and enjoys it, and he’s trying his best, Dad! He grew up different than me! Things got harder for him after we left. He’s--”

“Stop trying to defend him!”

“Listen! He’s doing his best, and you don’t ever let him know, you never give him praise! He’s doing so wonderful! You don’t get it, he doesn’t know how to not do the things he does because that was how he was taught to handle his feelings, to cope with them, and since he got here, have you even bothered to check how he’s been doing? How he’s feeling? I’m so proud of him for everything he’s accomplished, and he has a long way to go, but he’s doing so good, and--”

“Rhett, enough. Things would be easier without him. I’m disgusted with you, and how you’re acting. He’s such a bad influence.” Mr. McLaughlin said in his ‘this discussion is over’ voice. Link felt wetness pricking his eyes, but he swallowed it down and tried his best to hold it in. It was true. He was a bad influence.

“He isn’t a bad influence! I don’t know where you’re getting this from! Link is not a bad influence! He’s just trying to make it through life like we are! He isn’t!”

“Rhett, he bur--”

“He didn’t do it!” Rhett interrupted, voice bouncing off the walls. Link had never heard Rhett shout like that ever before. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever heard Rhett shout in a serious tone before _period._

Link surprised himself in that finally, for once, he did not erupt in an outburst, or anything to make things worse for himself, or to bring attention, or anything. Instead, he stumbled to his feet as quietly as he could, covering his mouth with his sleeve as he choked down the noise of sobs wanting to violently pour out. As quietly as he slid in, he slid out.

His face was warm from holding in his cries as he made his way back to the stables. For a split second, he swore with his life that he could taste the whisky in the back in his throat all over again, hotter than the fire. He couldn’t remember which had actually been hotter anymore.

Link rested against the side of the stable fence and reached past his glasses to cover his eyes. Despite being alone, he continued to stubbornly fight the tears threatening to fall every passing second as he replayed the words over and over in his head. He couldn’t decide what was worse, the words said or the memories.

Something damp and cold touched his skin. Link paused, still snivelling and breathing rapidly as he slightly lowered his hand from his eyes. He tilted his head upwards and gazed up, watching the first few white flakes begin to gracefully flutter down. The snow was finally beginning to fall.

Link’s head snapped over when he heard Rhett’s voice shouting in the distance. He tried his best to calm down, to dry his face, because he didn’t want Rhett to know he’d heard the way he defended him to Mr. McLaughlin and Rhett looked like he was bounding in Link’s direction. He pretended he hadn’t seen Rhett, looking up and around at the white sky, until he heard Rhett shouting his name.

“Link, c’mon. Come here.” Rhett called, to which Link immediately responded to. He jogged over to Rhett, just as Mr. McLaughlin started to come out the kitchen door to confront them.

“Rhett, you’d better not.” he warned. Rhett gently grabbed Link’s upper arm and began to guide him to the front of the house. Link’s breath was ragged as he watched Rhett, fear and admiration in his eyes. He wondered what was happening now, how it could possibly get worse.

“Piss off.” Rhett said, guiding Link to his old pickup truck. Link swallowed roughly, glancing over his shoulder at Mr. McLaughlin. He immediately looked away, frightened by the man’s expression. He scurried into the passenger side without being prompted.

“Rhett James, do not leave. You’d better not leave.” Mr. McLaughlin warned again, but Rhett crawled in the truck and immediately locked it without saying a word. Mr. McLaughlin jiggled the handle while Rhett started it up, only retracting when Rhett began to pull out of the driveway. He went as far as to chase the truck to the end of the lot before giving up when Rhett pulled onto the road.

Link couldn’t control it anymore. He clenched at his seat, suddenly feeling so cramped, so tight, so trapped. He gasped out, “Rhett, what is going on?” before finally beginning to hyperventilate, vision fogged up by tears. The last thing he had noticed was that Rhett’s knuckles were as white as the snow falling, from clenching the steering wheel so hard.

“We got in a fight,” Rhett said in his adult Rhett voice. Link covered his mouth and held down his nausea, the world around him spinning while his body broke into cold sweats and shook uncontrollably. His body felt numb, his heart racing, the walls of the truck seeming to draw closer, becoming the walls of the home.

He could feel the heat of the fire beginning to burn away at him, at the house, swallowing everything around him in flames, along with the bottle of whisky that had been in his hands not minutes before that. The back of his throat could still feel the burn of the scotch, hotter than the fire, hotter than the fire, hotter than the fire. Was it?

A cold breeze hit him and washed away the fire. Link finally processed his place in the truck, and that the truck was stopped, pulled off to a little side road in the forest area. A light bed of snow was just barely beginning to cover the ground and Rhett was opening Link’s door. Link gasped for breath as he uneasily rotated towards him.

Rhett awkwardly bent down, only to wrap his strong warm arms around Link’s waist and rest his chin upon Link’s shoulder. Link slowly lifted his trembling arms and wrapped them around Rhett’s neck, resting his tense body into the taller.

“I appreciate you so much, Link.” Rhett mumbled, rubbing the small of Link’s back. Link sank his fingers into Rhett’s shirt, coughing roughly in the midst of his breathing. “Slow it down, Link. I’m gonna count back from ten. Every time I say a number, take a breath, okay?”

Link inhaled sharply, and when Rhett said ten, he tried to exhale as slowly as he could. By the time Rhett got to one, Link’s breathing was much more even, and his shoulders had relaxed in the slightest. Rhett slid a hand up Link’s back to pet his hair. “I’m sorry, Rhett, I’m so sorry.” Link babbled, to which Rhett shushed him not unkindly.

“It’s okay, Link. It’s all okay,” Rhett reassured, “it isn’t your fault.”

_But it is, _Link thought, but smiled anyway and continued to let Rhett hold him.__


	15. xv

Link had no idea that Felix was staying with the Pansino’s. He also didn’t know that Rosanna had a little sister, Molly, that was a freshman. What he _did_ know was how it felt to adjust to staying in yet another household.

It wasn’t permanent by any means, just for a week or so while things cooled off at McLaughlin Ranch. The Pansino’s were nice enough to extend an offer to Link to stay, where he could share a room with Felix.

The Pansino’s were more than surprised when Link instinctively tried to clean their whole house. They’d laughed and told him he could sit down and relax, and told him he didn’t have to worry about making dinner. Link didn’t even know what to do with himself. 

He could see Rhett at school, but it was the third day of staying at the Pansino’s, and Link missed falling asleep with Rhett dearly. Felix and Ro were good company at the least.

“Hello, how are you, my darling, today? I fall into a pile on the floor, puppy love is hard to ignore, when every little thing you do, I do adore,” Ro was singing as she sat on her bed, Felix sitting next to her with the ukulele he was playing for her. Link was sitting across the way on the floor against Mo’s bed.

It wasn’t that Link was disinterested, or didn’t think they were good, it was that he was so consumed with his own thoughts that it was hard for him to pay attention. He sat there the entire time, passively listening as he chewed on his fingernails. Once the song ended on some dreamy note or the other, Ro and Felix finally seemed to notice Link’s mood.

“Do you play any instruments, Link?” she asked sweetly, tucking her hair behind her ear. Link flinched, looking up at the two. He nodded quickly.

“Yeah, the recorder, the trumpet, the harmonica, the penny whistle… a few others, just wind instruments.” he mumbled. Ro clasped her hands together and grinned brightly at the boy.

“That’s so cool! I can only play the ukulele, and I taught Felix a few songs because he can play the guitar.” she revealed, sliding from her bed to the floor along with Link. Link dipped his head down nervously. Felix slowly joined the other two on the floor.

“Rhett plays the guitar,” Link noted. Felix and Ro slowly looked over at each other before back at Link, Ro continuing to smile pleasantly as Felix strummed the ukulele.

“Do you miss him?” she asked, encouraging Link to open up. Link’s eyes flicked up and at the girl. Ro was delighted to see that she’d perked his interest.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. Ro rested her head against Felix’s shoulder. Felix quirked a brow at Link, smirking.

“You still see him everyday at school.” he pointed out. Link blushed in embarrassment, refusing to look up at them. Ro nudged Felix.

“I know,” Link muttered. Ro twirled her hair in her finger, shooting the smallest of glares at Felix before returning her complete attention to Link.

“I know for a fact that he misses you, too.” Ro reassured. “When I moved here from Seattle in sixth grade, Rhett and I dated for a few months. I actually think we dated until he was in eighth grade. He would talk about you, even though you hadn’t talked or seen each other for so long. I remember, we would sit there and hold hands, yet he would always go on about when you two were younger. I thought it was cute then and I still do.”

Link tried to hide his smile. To anyone else, that likely would have been creepy, but Link found it endearing. “You two really aren’t dating?” Felix asked.

“No,” Link insisted. “We’re straight.” Felix gave him a sceptical expression but strummed the ukulele again and looked away. Ro lifted her head from Felix’s shoulder.

“Are you excited for Christmas?” Ro asked, attempting to make Link feel comfortable again. It backfired and instead, Link shifted uncomfortably and looked away.

“I don’t know. I can’t remember what it was like to have a nice Christmas. I was hoping this one would be nice, but the fact Mr. McLaughlin doesn’t even want me near him right now kinda… yeah.” he mumbled. He didn’t want to purposefully make them feel bad, but it was the truth.

“What do you want for Christmas?” Ro continued, scooting slightly closer to Link. Link gnawed his lip. He wanted a thousand things, all of which things he knew he wouldn’t get.

“To be happy, I guess.” Link sighed, cupping his cheek in his palm. Ro and Felix looked at each other again, but this time, it was Felix who spoke.

“So like, what did you do? What is going on? You’re not acting like yourself and you haven’t been.” he dared to ask. _I don’t even know who I am,_ Link thought, but didn’t say it. He peeked upwards, then reached up to adjust his glasses.

“What did I do this time or what?” Link returned. Felix snorted in amusement and earned another elbow from Ro. Ro played with her sleeves as Felix set the ukulele aside and sat crosslegged.

“I wanna hear your story,” Felix said simply. Ro grasped Felix’s forearm gently.

“ _We_ wanna hear your story,” she added with a warm smile. Link considered this offer briefly, hesitating to actually open his mouth and talk to the others.

“There isn’t really much to say.” Link said. “Rhett and I met in first grade, ‘cause we got in trouble for cursing and we had to sit inside and colour pictures of mythical creatures. We sort of became inseparable. When we were ten, his family moved back here and then we fell out of touch because of me. It hit me hard. I kinda fell in with a bad crowd. Then this summer--”

Link cut himself off, the words sticking in his throat. He swore he felt a hot flash. He rubbed his arms insecurely, his clothes beginning to stick to his sweaty skin.

“Well, my mom sent me out here instead, because she didn’t want to see me go to juvie. Mr. McLaughlin is really strict, because my mom wanted him to be extra strict. The McLaughlin’s actually know how to raise kids, this was her logic. B-but the other day, Rhett and him got in a big fight about Rhett not joining basketball, and I overheard, and Mr. McLaughlin was blaming me for Rhett turning into a ‘terrible kid.’ I wasn’t caught, but still, Mama Di wanted me to be safe so yeah. Here I am.” Link clarified. Ro was holding Felix’s arm and had her head rested against his shoulder all over again.

“I was wondering why he wasn’t in basketball this year,” she commented. Link gulped, playing with his fingers.

“Rhett doesn’t really like the lifestyle he’s been living. It’s hard to explain. The easiest way to explain it i-is that, well, since we’re back together, we’re kinda balancing each other out again and we’re finding who we really are again. We lost touch with ourselves.” he mumbled. He found that he was actually relaxing in the midst of it, his shoulders lowering and his hands resting calmly on the floor. Maybe he needed this after all.

“What do you do that’s so bad anyway?” Felix asked, resting his head on top of Ro’s. Link’s relaxation was lost. He bristled at the question, inhaling sharply as images of flames flashed in his eyes.

“It’s what I _didn’t_ do that my mom _thinks_ I did,” he said. He inhaled slowly. “I can’t talk about it yet, I’m sorry.” he admitted, shocked with his own honesty. Ro and Felix didn’t seemed phased by it, likely because they didn’t know him well enough to recognise how surprising it was.

“It’s okay, Link! You didn’t do anything wrong.” Ro dismissed. Link smiled weakly. All was quiet for a few minutes before Felix piped up again.

“You wanna go play some video games, Link?” he offered. Link looked up and over in vague confusion.

“I can’t remember the last time I played a video game,” he muttered. Felix grinned cheekily, pulling slightly away from Ro to stand up. 

“Then it’s high time. C’mon, bro.” he instructed, and Link slowly stood up.


	16. xvi

Christmas morning breakfast was French toast dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with maple syrup, along with a side of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries with a glass of orange juice. When Link had begun to eat, he’d noticed a note hidden just underneath his plate, written in a cute cursive style, the dots over the i’s replaced with hearts.

_Made with extra love :)_   
_-Mama Di_

That alone made Link’s Christmas morning significantly better. He counted it as the only Christmas present he expected to receive, and couldn’t stop smiling all the way through the early morning sermon at church, or when they got back home.

The McLaughlin’s no longer did the tradition of Christmas stockings, as there were no younger children in the household. He wondered what his step-siblings had got in their stockings from Santa. He hadn’t received a call from any of his family since the call with his mom so long ago. He wasn’t sure if he cared anymore or not.

While Mr. McLaughlin and Mama Di opened up their gifts, Link peered out the window to the piles of white snow. Link had given Mr. McLaughlin a card and Mama Di a small painting of Poinsettias, both made by him. Rhett disappeared somewhere, but came back in time for his presents.

For Rhett, Link had made a crude wooden carving of Hawkman himself. It wasn’t the best by any means, only recognisable by the paint and the shapes. Rhett didn’t care. He was absolutely ecstatic and immediately recognised him, then proceeded to profusely thank Link. Link acted humble, but he swore he could hear angels singing to him.

By the end of the McLaughlin’s opening up their heaps of gifts, Link noticed there was still a nice pile under the tree. He had assumed they were for Cole to open when he came out to the ranch in a few days. He almost stood up to help Mama Di with Christmas dinner before they all looked at him in confusion.

“Where are you goin’?” Mr. McLaughlin asked.

“Those are for you,” Mama Di finished.

Link froze in place, looking around at the three of them slowly in alarm. His lips parted, but no words left his mouth. He slowly pointed his finger at himself, just to confirm what he’d just heard. Rhett laughed softly, kneeling down by Link’s gifts.

“Go ahead, kid,” Mr. McLaughlin encouraged with a grin. He had calmed down significantly since their time apart, and had even taken the ‘making dinner’ and ‘doing/folding laundry’ chores off of Link’s list. Link hadn’t thought it was possible, just like he hadn’t thought this was possible.

He slowly stumbled to his feet, staggering over to the tree with Rhett. He went to squat down, but ended up losing his balance and falling on his butt. Rhett laughed again, giving Link’s arm a comforting rub. Link stared at the gifts blankly. There were seven in total. 

Mr. McLaughlin’s gift was a card, a bar of dark chocolate, and chapstick. It may have seemed weird, but Link appreciated it. Especially the chapstick. Mama Di had gotten him a personalised card (that referred to him as son and got him more choked up), along with a couple plaid shirts and some skinny jeans.

Rhett had given Link two gifts. The first one Link opened was a “care package,” as Rhett called it, which had a few candy bars in it and a couple cans of soda, a book about miniature horses, a denim jacket, and a stack of letters that said ‘Open When…’ and different events on them. The second one was a homemade CD that said nothing but ‘I’m not good with words but this is how I feel’ as the title. Link couldn’t wait to listen to it, even if he didn’t know when he could.

Link was especially surprised to see that there were gifts from both Ro and Felix underneath the tree. The gift from Ro was a container of cupcakes, decorated in the style of little Bombermans and Bombs. It came with a note that read, _‘Hey Link! Rhett told me that you guys used to play this game when you were little and you really liked it, so he and Felix helped me bake these for you. Merry Christmas! Love you! x’_

Felix’s gift was $20 and a card he’d made himself with paper, with a crude drawing of a pug in crayons on the front and a message inside that read, _‘I was gonna give you more Swedish food, but I decided to be nice. Go to the arcade. Take Rhett out. Buy porn. I don’t care. Merry Christmas bro.’_ Link had laughed through his joyous tears when he’d read it, reading it in Felix’s voice and everything.

The last gift caught Link off guard more than anything else. The tag had only said ‘To Link,’ so he hadn’t any idea who it was from, but opening it up, he was driven to rougher tears. It was a handknitted grey turtleneck, with a pro-wrestling magazine and a picture of Link when he was around seven with his grandma and Rhett. Instead of a card, there was a letter written in sloppy cursive.

_Dear Link,_

_How are you doing? I am doing okay. I miss you, so does Jade. Do you remember her? Old dog’s getting pretty old, older than me. Ha!_

_I was going to try and come see you this Christmas, but I couldn’t make it out of the house. I’ll try my best to see you another time. I made sure to get you a present. I knitted you this sweater. Do you still like wrestling? I found that picture in my stuff and thought you would like it. How is Rhett? I heard he’s growing like a string bean._

_I am so proud of you. I talk about you all the time. The girls at the centre are getting sick of it. Ha! I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else but you as my grandson. Keep up your grades and do what you need to do._

_Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year! I love you, write back soon._

_Love Gramma_

Link set the letter down on the sweater and bawled into his hands, still in disbelief he’d received even one present, let alone from Gramma. He could feel Rhett wrap his arm around him, but he didn’t look up at him. He snivelled roughly, laughed weakly shortly after. “I’m sorry,” he managed to choke out in the midst of it.

“Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything,” Rhett murmured sweetly, carding his fingers through Link’s hair.

“I-I’m just so overwhelmed, I can’t remember m-my last family Christmas like this, I-I’m--” Link cut himself off, continuing to cry into his hands. It wasn’t long before he could feel Mama Di wrapping her arms around him with Rhett, and even Mr. McLaughlin coming over to place a comforting hand on Link’s back.

“We love you, Link, we wanted you to have a good Christmas, too.” Mama Di cooed. For once, Link didn’t have a doubt in the back of his mind, or think a contradicting thought about how Mr. McLaughlin didn’t feel that way, or anything else negative. He simply let it happen, allowing himself to be comforted by them.

“Why don’t you boys go get out of your church clothes and into something more comfortable? It’s Christmas, I want you two to relax and have fun.” Mr. McLaughlin offered. Link lifted his head to peer up at him, lip wobbling. Mr. McLaughlin gave him a lopsided smile. “You too.”

_What happened while I was gone?_ Link thought for a split second, but brushed it off as not to ruin his euphoric mood, one achieved without opiates, at that. Rhett helped him to his feet.

Before entering their room, Rhett stopped Link in the doorway. He had that smug grin on his face, making the smoldering expression that simultaneously charmed Link and made him want to tease Rhett. “Oh, gee, Link, look,” Rhett said, pointing upwards. Link quirked a brow and tilted his head upwards, sniffling. Mistletoe was taped to the top of the doorway. “Mistletoe. Who put that there?”

“I wonder,” Link laughed shyly, lifting his palm to wipe at his eyes. Rhett bit his lip, his cheeks pink as he stared down at Link. He pressed a hand against the archway behind Link, his body slightly leaned down. Link’s heart was racing. His eyes locked with Rhett’s.

Link nervously smiled and ducked into the room, listening to Rhett laugh equally as anxiously as he followed him to the dresser. He couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened had he leaned up for Rhett instead of backing out at the last second.

Rhett put on his sweater with cacti on it, and some long black sweatpants. Link chose his camouflage sweater and matching black sweatpants, but he rolled the legs up to his ankles. They walked back out to the living room together, where Mr. McLaughlin was sitting on the couch. Link realised Mama Di was in the kitchen, but before he got the chance to join her, Mr. McLaughlin beckoned Rhett and Link to join him.

Mr. McLaughlin had turned the radio on the television to some country station, sitting there with a can of beer. Rhett sat next to him, and after a moment of hesitation, Link joined them. _Please don’t ruin today, please don’t ruin today,_ Link prayed to himself.

“How’s your Christmas going?” Mr. McLaughlin asked, looking over at the two boys. Link could feel Rhett slyly curling his pinky around his. Link’s ears felt hot. His prayers changed to, _Please don’t catch us, please don’t catch us._

“One of the best Christmases I’ve had.” Rhett chirped cheerily, peeking over at Link. Link gave a tight smile, his pinky tugging away from Rhett’s. Before Rhett got too discouraged, he tangled his fingers with Rhett’s. Link’s heart fluttered when Rhett’s smile expanded.

“Same.” Link said.

Link looked over the TV screen when he heard Lynyrd Skynyrd come on. He knew this song, Free Bird, by heart, mostly because he would sing it with his dad. He recalled it fondly, standing outside during hot North Carolina summers, helping Dad repair a car while blaring Lynyrd Skynyrd from a radio in the back. He wondered if his dad thought of him when this song came on still, and why this song was playing on a country station.

“If I leave here tomorrow,” Link hummed to himself, only to realise that Mr. McLaughlin was humming the words with him. Both of them looked at each other in shock, then proceeded to laugh.

“You know this song?” Mr. McLaughlin chuckled. Link glanced at Rhett briefly before right back to Mr. McLaughlin.

“Of course I do,” Link grinned. “I didn’t know you liked rock.”

“This is a rock song?” Mr. McLaughlin asked immediately. “I thought it was a country song.”

Link could feel Rhett gently squeeze his fingers. “It’s like southern rock.” Rhett clarified, smirking. Things were quiet for a moment or two as Mr. McLaughlin’s smile fell and he stared at the screen, almost as if Rhett chiming in made him pensive. Link swallowed hard. He felt like he was walking on eggshells all over again.

“Rhett?” Mr. McLaughlin finally asked. Rhett and Link’s hands instinctively parted, but Rhett did scoot an inch closer to Link. He couldn’t find it in himself to reply. Mr. McLaughlin didn’t seem to mind as he finished his thought. “What do you want to do when you graduate?”

“Be a civil engineer,” Rhett answered instantly. Link frowned. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see Mr. McLaughlin look over at Rhett.

“No,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “What _you_ want to do.”

Rhett was flabbergasted, as was Link, but Link just stared at the television screen and tried to fight his smile. He could feel Rhett slightly rotate his body towards his dad. Rhett tried to find his words.

“D-Dad, I--” Rhett stammered, almost smiling, but it fell not long after. He looked almost scared to say it. Link could hear him gulp. “I-I want to make videos, and stuff. I want to entertain people, a-and explore, and yeah.”

Mr. McLaughlin nodded slowly. “We have a video camera that we never use,” he noted, voice trailing off towards the end. He looked at the two and observed them for a moment. “...do you want it?” he asked Rhett. Rhett’s face lit up.

“The one we got in California?” he asked, just to be sure. Mr. McLaughlin nodded again.

“Yeah. You can take it. Merry Christmas, son… I’m… sorry.” he apologised awkwardly, taking a sip of his beer immediately after. Rhett looked at Link in joy before getting to his feet and rushing off to go find it. Link remained sitting on the couch, wondering what kind of Christmas miracle this was.

Link’s eyes fell upon his gifts, which were still sitting on the floor. He bit his lip before getting up and going to grab the chocolate bar that Mr. McLaughlin had given him. He went back to his spot and slowly opened it in wonder. He slid the bar out from the wrapper and broke it in half, then awkwardly held out one half to Mr. McLaughlin. Mr. McLaughlin looked over and lifted a brow.

“That’s yours.” he said. Link swallowed roughly.

“I know,” he muttered. “I wanna share it.” Mr. McLaughlin smiled and accepted the half, biting into it as it was whereas Link broke off one of his pieces.

The song sang, ‘Lord knows I can’t change.’ As Link bit into his piece of chocolate, he thought to himself, _But I can._


	17. xvii

“We’re about to live in the future, Link!” Rhett exclaimed.

Link only recognised Rhett, Ro, Felix, and Jen at this party. There were dozens of other kids, most younger than him. Someone was playing pop songs on a stereo through their iPod, but the television was turned to FOX for the ball drop at midnight. Link felt completely out of place at this party, hosted at Jen’s house, but didn’t want to be rude and more importantly, didn’t want to see Rhett go alone.

“It’s technically gonna be present time still, Rhett.” Link argued with a smirk, nudging Rhett. Rhett slung his arm around Link and took a long drink of his soda. He squeezed Link’s shoulder lightly.

“C’mon, man. 2017. And we’re entering it together. Our future’s gonna real start soon, man.” he returned, peering down at Link. Link laughed weakly, looking up at Rhett as well.

“That’s sweet, but it still ain’t the future. Right at this second, it’ll technically be in the future, but when we get there, we still gonna be in the present.” he insisted. Rhett rolled his eyes. He shook his bottle, which he’d drank the rest of.

“I’ll be right back, I’m gonna go get more. You want one?” he asked. Link shrugged his shoulders, but ultimately nodded.

“Make it a Dr. Pepper.” instructed Link, pressing closer to the wall as Rhett began to squeeze past the other kids. Link shoved a hand into his pocket and watched Rhett for a moment or two before looking back in the direction of the television.

He thought about the CD that Rhett had made for him for Christmas. It only had five songs on it, which were in the order of Hello by Lionel Richie, Magic Seeds by Iwan Rheon, Buddy Holly by Weezer, I Miss You by blink-182, and Johnny Delusional by FFS. He hadn’t yet brought up to Rhett that he’d listened to the CD and took all of the lyrics from all of the songs to heart.

He wondered if he’d ever get enough courage to tell Rhett how he felt about things, too. He didn’t know exactly what it was he was feeling, but whatever it was felt warm and nice. It was like whenever he would get crushes on girls, but this time it felt more intense, and sincere, and wonderful, and every other nice word he could think of. It was a feeling of relief, knowing that he had a best friend for life. Rhett was a feeling of home.

Rhett came back and passed the bottle to Link. “Here you go, brother. It was the last one.” he smiled brightly, opening up his own bottle, which was a bottle of A&W Root Beer. Link cracked open his bottle.

“Thanks, man.” Link grinned, dissatisfied by the fact that it was too loud to hear the carbonation fizz. He took a sip of his Dr. Pepper and pressed his back against the wall. Rhett stood in front of Link and pressed his free arm to the wall behind Link, popping his long leg out to get comfortable. “It’d be better if this was booze.”

“Don’t say that,” Rhett laughed, still not short enough to match Link’s height. Link playfully smacked Rhett on the chest, taking another drink of his soda.

“It ain’t a party without booze.” he joked. Rhett clinked his soda against Link’s, just for the fun of it. He looked Link up and down before finally meeting his eye.

“We can have fun without booze,” Rhett said loud enough for only Link to hear. Link blushed brightly, unsure of how exactly to take the comment. He forced out an awkward laugh, maintaining eye contact.

“How do you propose we do that?” asked Link, unintentionally gripping his bottle a little tighter. Rhett stood up straight, reaching down for Link’s free hand. Link could feel his heart pounding. His fingers clenched Rhett’s hand gently.

“You wanna dance?” Rhett smirked. Link was almost relieved it was just an innocent thing. He tipped his head away, laughing weakly. He snorted.

“C’mon, Rhett. I can’t dance. There’re other people here, man. I-I don’t even know these songs,” he attempted to excuse. Rhett scoffed, but didn’t stop smiling.

“Hold on. Wait here.” Rhett insisted, releasing Link’s hand and turning around, taking long strides back into the crowd. Link pressed back up against the wall, sighing softly but was unable to stop smiling.

Not long after, he could hear the music stop. The other partygoers looked in around in confusion, but not longer after, it started up again. Link instantly started laughing when he realised what it was, covering his face with his open hand.

“Link,” Rhett called. Link looked up. He could see Rhett above everyone else’s heads, waving a hand for Link to join him. Link chewed his lip, hesitating to push through everyone to make his way to Rhett.

“How the hell did you find Hank Williams on her iPod?” Link yelled up at him. Rhett set his soda on the ground, so Link did the same.

“It’s Georgia, everyone’s got Hank Williams on somethin’, man,” he returned, placing one hand on Link’s waist and using the other to grab Link’s hand. Link cautiously placed his hand on Rhett’s waist in return and squeezed his hand.

As Jambalaya progressed, most of the other kids at the party looked downright disgusted. Rhett smiled and giggled at Link as he began doing some form of two-step waltz dance with him. Link followed Rhett’s step with enthusiasm, grinning from ear to ear. In his head, he could see them sitting at the table, waiting for the Easy Bake to finish baking while talking about whatever game they were playing. 

Felix started clapping in beat to the song, sitting on the back of the couch to watch them. Ro had poked her head up and joined him, until virtually the whole room was clapping and encouraging it. Rhett spun Link around in a circle. Link squealed, spinning back the other way before Rhett dipped him down.

Link stared up at Rhett’s face in quiet for what felt like forever when in reality he knew it was only a few seconds. Without a thought more, he threw his arms up around Rhett’s neck and hugged him as tightly as he could. Rhett stumbled a little before standing up straight and holding him equally as securely.

The claps continued, and there were a few ‘aws,’ but Link had completely forgotten they were in a room full of people. “What’s up, Link?” Rhett called down to him, and Link could hear the smile in his voice.

“I keep forgetting how much I’ve missed you,” Link returned, resting his head against Rhett. Rhett was still rocking them to the beat of the song.

“I’m glad we’re together again, ‘cause I missed you too. This is why I said our future starts tonight, man!” Rhett laughed. Link looked up at him with a grin, pulling away from his as the song came to an end and the room applauded.

“Our future already started!” Link insisted. He blushed and added, “It’s still in the present, though! Not the future.” Some other song came on shuffle, some Major Lazer song that Link didn’t know the name to but enjoyed.

“Whatever you insist,” Rhett caved in with a lopsided smile, the rest of the room going back to whatever they had been doing before Rhett and Link’s little jig. Link bent back down for his soda and almost returned to being a wallflower before Rhett grabbed his arm. “Where you goin’? I thought we were dancin’.”

“We did dance, so now I’m gonna go hide back in the corner.” Link snorted, looking up at Rhett. Rhett winked at him, then moved to get his bottle.

“Nobody puts Baby in a corner,” he quoted, following Link to the wall. Link huffed as he pressed himself to the wall and started to open up his soda.

“I’m already exhausted, that took the breath outta me.” he snickered, chugging a good portion of his soda. Rhett resumed his position of resting an arm behind Link on the wall. “I’m sorry I’m holdin’ you back from bein’ social, Rhett.”

“Nah, it’s okay. Remember when we were little and I only ever went to your house ‘cause you didn’t like goin’ to other people’s? I feel a little bad draggin’ you over here, but I’m good not bein’ social as long as we’re still hanging out.” Rhett dismissed. Link could feel a faint smile forming on his lips.

“Thanks, Rhett.” he murmured. Rhett didn’t respond, he simply smiled back and tipped his head to Link.

Suddenly, the music was turned way down. Both boys looked back towards the TV, where the volume was being turned up as the camera focused on the ball in NYC. “Get ready for your New Year’s kiss!” Jen called to the party, grinning as everybody started chanting down from ten.

“Ten!”

Link watched as at least three girls came up around them, one even getting as gutsy as to tug on Rhett’s shirt and ask. Rhett shrugged her off and grabbed Link’s upper arm. Link looked at him in confusion. “What?”

“Nine!”

Rhett started tugging Link past the other kids to the kitchen, and Link just followed in confusion.

“Eight!”

“What’re you doin’, man?” Link asked again, but Rhett kept walking past the other kids in the kitchen.

“Seven!”

Rhett still wasn’t replying, and Link was beginning to wonder if he was going to get yelled at. His mind was racing.

“Six!”

Rhett stopped in an empty hall, then checked to see if anyone had followed them. Link knitted his brows together as he watched Rhett.

“Five!”

“What’s goin’ on, Rhett? What’s wrong?” Link asked frantically. Rhett placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Four!”

Link clasped his hands together anxiously as he stood there, shoulders tensed. His eyes skittishly scanned Rhett’s face for an answer.

“Three!”

Rhett was lightly trembling, his face beet red as he took a long, slow, shuddery breath. Link arched his brows.

“Two!”

“Link, please, please don’t hate me,” Rhett pleaded, using his quiet and gentle voice. Link ever-so-slightly cocked his head.

“One!”

“Wha--” Link almost asked, but was cut off.

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Rhett grasped Link’s face under his chin and bent down, pushing his lips against Link’s. Link closed his eyes and slowly unclasped his hands to rest them on Rhett’s hips. Rhett squeezed Link’s face in the slightest, finally starting to relax when he could feel Link tenderly returning it.

Gradually, Rhett parted from Link and bent back upwards. They opened their eyes and stared at each other, progressively beginning to grin wider and wider as they nervously giggled. Rhett had that look on his face that said, _Gosh I’ve been wanting to do that for so long,_ but it went unsaid.

“You guys missed the ball drop, why did you run off?” Jen asked as she rounded the corner. Both Rhett and Link jumped in alarm, Rhett standing up straight as they looked over at the girl. Rhett parted his lips to speak, but no words left. Link improvised as quickly as he could.

“U-uh, uh, well, um, I was startin’ to feel overwhelmed, so Rhett wanted to make sure I was okay.” Link excused. Jen believed it easy enough, waving her hand for them to follow her.

“Oh, well, come on back when you’re ready. Stevie was able to make it after all,” Jen encouraged with a smile, disappearing back through the archway. Rhett and Link stole a peek up at each other, both of their faces still bright red. Rhett laughed nervously and began to trudge to the doorway.

Link smiled at the back of Rhett’s head and followed without a comment more. He wondered if they were just going to forget about it at the end of the night, or if that was the start of their future.

_No, it’s still our present,_ Link thought to himself as he opened his Dr. Pepper and took a drink.


	18. xviii

Rhett grunted as he lifted the small bale of hay, inhaling his breath hard and holding it as he placed it on top of the last one. He dropped it down and stumbled backward, face completely red and sweat dripping down. He slicked his hand through his greasy hair and turned to face his dad and Link.

“Done,” he smiled, his breath ragged. He wiped the beads of sweat from his brow, then shook his shirt to try and create some airflow.

“Nice job, son.” Mr. McLaughlin praised, removing his hat. “You didn’t have to do it all by yourself, y’know.”

“I know, Dad.” Rhett grinned. “Happy new year!”

“Go take care of yourself, Rhett. You’re gonna kill yourself, boy.” Mr. McLaughlin laughed, clapping his son on the shoulder and walking over to the hay bales. Rhett grinned brightly, giving him a thumbs up and swirling around to go back to the house. Link looked Rhett up and down as he walked past, winking at him. Rhett blushed, playfully rolling his eyes at him as he plodded through the snow.

“What we doin’ now?” Link asked, stepping further into the stables with his hands on his hips. Mr. McLaughlin sat down on one of the hay bales.

“Nah, work’s all done. Rhett did everythin’. I swear, I don’t deserve that boy.” he chuckled, clasping his hands and looking down at the ground. Link lifted his brows in shock. He’d never seen this side of Mr. McLaughlin. He warily stepped closer.

“He’s a good boy.” Link agreed. Mr. McLaughlin looked up at him, a lopsided grin on his face.

“I don’t know how the hell he turned out that way,” he laughed, setting his hat to the left of him. Link rubbed his arm awkwardly, glancing Mr. McLaughlin over.

“Well… you, sir.” Link said slowly. Mr. McLaughlin made a loud laugh and leaned back against the hay, shaking his head at Link. Link sucked in his breath.

“Link, let’s… let’s just stop it with this ‘sir’ nonsense.” Mr. McLaughlin sighed. Link stared at him, rendered completely speechless. Mr. McLaughlin patted the spot to his right for Link. After remaining in stun for a moment, Link slowly walked over and sat down next to him. “You ain’t a bad kid, Link. Your mama might think you are, and I may have thought you were, but you aren’t, Link.”

Link looked up and over at Mr. McLaughlin. He gaped at him, unable to do anything more. Mr. McLaughlin looked at him in return.

“I ain’t just saying that. I mean it. Link, I’m… I’m real sorry for what I’ve done to you in this past year. This is the reason Cole left as soon as he possibly could.” he continued. Link furrowed his brows, focusing on Mr. McLaughlin’s face. Mr. McLaughlin shook his head. “Not… not you. Me. The way I treated you was an intensified version of how I treated them boys.”

“If you want me to be honest with you, Mr. McLaughlin, I started to resent you. But I also know you just did what my mama wanted you to.” Link admitted, suddenly feeling like he wouldn’t face a consequence for opening up to Mr. McLaughlin. He had no idea he’d see that day.

“I don’t blame you anymore for that, Link. It’s what she wanted me to do, but that ain’t an excuse. I was mean.” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I didn’t realise how blind and stubborn I was until Rhett and I got in that fight. When you were gone, I had a lot of realisations.”

“It’s not completely your fault. I should have listened better at times,” Link insisted. Mr. McLaughlin reached over and placed his hand on Link’s shoulder, smirking at him.

“Link, you deserved better than what I gave you.” Mr. McLaughlin stressed, squeezing his shoulder. “I’m just upset I’m just now realising it months before y’all graduate.”

“It ain’t too late, you know.” Link consoled, already feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders hearing an actual apology from Mr. McLaughlin. He wondered if it was a joke, or a dream.

“Rhett turned out so good through it all, you know. He learnt good about bein’ an adult. Instead of wastin’ all his paycheck money, he’s saved it up. He has like $700 saved up, Link. I’m impressed. I’m proud of that boy.” Mr. McLaughlin sighed, resting his fingers in his hair as he looked back down at the ground. 

“Mr. McLaughlin, you didn’t do bad in teaching him responsibility. You’ve definitely made me more responsible,” Link clarified. “What went wrong were some of the ways you went about it, and you didn’t let him be what he wanted, do what made him feel like himself.”

“I just hope I can make it better in the time we have left together.” Mr. McLaughlin murmured. Link nodded, looking off towards the stable entrance.

A cold draft crept in and left Link to shudder. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, messing with his hands. As nice as this was going, there was still one thing eating away at Link. He wasn’t quite sure how to bring it up, so he just went for it.

“...do you really hate me?” he asked tentatively. He timidly scooted an inch away, fearful of how Mr. McLaughlin was going to react. Mr. McLaughlin caught him off guard by simply lightly laughing, smirking uncomfortably without looking at Link.

“You heard that, huh?” he questioned in return, his smile shortly fading into a frown. Link could see him looking at him out of his peripheral vision, so he sheepishly nodded. Mr. McLaughlin shook his head again, placing his hands on his temples. “I didn’t mean that, Link. I said it in blind anger, ‘cause I didn’t want to accept it was my fault. I’m so sorry.”

“I forgive you, man.” Link muttered, smiling gently to himself. It still hurt, and he didn’t think it ever wouldn’t hurt, but it definitely felt nice to hear Mr. McLaughlin so genuine about it and to hear him accept that he was in the wrong, better yet, apologising for it. He looked over at him again. “You’ve hurt me, you know, but… you’re the closest thing to a real dad I’ve ever had, Mr. McLaughlin. Y’all have made me feel like… I actually have a place, and that I have a family. For that… for that I think I can forgive you anything.”

Mr. McLaughlin turned his head to look at him, grinning brightly and wrapping his arm around Link. Link leaned into him, feeling light and elated. “You’re a good kid, Link, and you’ve done an excellent job since you got here. Thank you for indirectly helping me open my eyes.”

“Thank you for indirectly helping me open mine, too.” Link returned, pulling away from Mr. McLaughlin as Mr. McLaughlin leaned away. The two of them looked up in correspondence as Rhett walked back into the stables, a large smile spread from ear to ear. His hair was hanging down and he was in different clothes.

“Y’all’re sittin’ on all my hard work,” Rhett teased, leaning against the stable opening. Mr. McLaughlin stood up and put his hat back on his head. He quietly walked up to Rhett and pulled him into a hug, leaving Rhett standing there in delighted shock. Link noticed Mr. McLaughlin whisper something to Rhett, but couldn’t hear what it was. He pushed himself to his feet, passively smirking.

Mr. McLaughlin walked out of the stables and back to the house, leaving Rhett and Link alone again. Link looked across at Rhett. Rhett’s face was bright.

“I heard everything.” he revealed. Link snorted, bashfully looking away and shoving a hand in his pocket.

“I figured by the way you walked in here all smiley,” he answered. Rhett jutted out his hip, scratching his beard. He shrugged.

“Walked in here all smiley ‘cause you’re in here.” he flirted, only to laugh shortly afterwards. Link stared at Rhett all sorts of lovestruck, not that he would admit it. He couldn’t help but wonder, _What are we?_

“You walked in here all smiley ‘cause you got validation,” he retorted playfully, approaching Rhett. Rhett waited until Link got closer, then slung his arm around his shoulders as they began walking out of the stables. “Dirty eavesdropper.”

“Says you, who listened to the Great McLaughlin Division and acted completely oblivious until now.” Rhett snorted, gently knocking his head against Link’s. Link laughed heartily, gazing up at Rhett with adoration. Even though Rhett returned the glance, Link was still left his question.

But for once, he was satisfied.


	19. xix

Link’s heart was pounding, and he wasn’t sure if it was because it was the last day of the first semester when they revealed their video projects in class, or because he and Rhett were holding hands like lovers for the first time. He wasn’t sure if they actually were, as they had never talked about it or the party or anything, but he knew he loved the feeling of his hand in Rhett’s hidden underneath the table.

“Do you wanna go last?” Rhett whispered to him, to which Link nodded and tilted his head to look at him.

“Yeah, best go out with a bang,” he returned and Rhett giggled. It filled him with joy knowing he made Rhett giggle, even though he’d done it a million times before. 

The final project in video production was to make a TV show and film the first episode, and it had to be a minimum of five minutes with a maximum of fifteen. He was curious to see what the others had created, but was immensely proud of what he and Rhett had done. He couldn’t wait to show it off. They were well on their way to being good Internetainers, Link felt.

“All right, so, who wants to go first?” Mrs. Johnson asked from her desk. Immediately, Felix grabbed Chase’s hand and shot their hands up in the air.

“Us! Us!” Felix called, waving their hands. Chase was blushing brightly, using his free hand to bashfully cover his face. Mrs. Johnson started to do something on her computer, presumably pulling up the video they’d made. She put in on fullscreen on the board and paused it.

“Go shut off the lights and tell us what your TV show is.” she instructed, smiling at the boys. Chase hurried to shut off the lights while Felix leaned against the back of his chair with an easy smile.

“We call it ‘Two Bros and Some Sheep.’ It’s a comedy series about two bros and some sheep. Not actual bros, though, like… metaphorical bros.” Felix babbled, grinning at Chase as Chase sat down next to him.

“...fantastic description.” Mrs. Johnson sighed, then pressed play. The video began to roll.

The intro itself were random action shots with opening credits rolling through, and the audio was Felix and Chase poorly singing an instrumental opening that sounded like it was making fun of a cop show. The classroom started giggling.

For the next seven minutes, it was Felix recording Chase as they walked through a forest like path, their boots crunching in the snow. They were talking about random things, laughing and simply having fun. It was one of those projects that you could tell was made just to finish it, and wouldn’t be a good real show, but nevertheless made the classroom laugh.

The best part was the very last scene was suddenly a cut to a large green field, speckled with old dirty snow. It was foggy out, and way in the distance, there was a blob of white fluff that was, sure enough, a herd of sheep. In the middle of them was a tall figure with his arms up in the air. Then, Felix’s voice screamed out from the distance, “LOOK AT ALL THESE SHEEP!” and it ended with the noise of Chase just beginning to laugh behind the camera.

The class applauded the video, but shortly after, Link was reaching for Rhett’s hand again. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach when he saw the way it made Rhett grin. He bit his lip to hold back a smile.

“Well… all right then, Chase and Felix. Who wants to go next?” Mrs. Johnson asked, closing the video and going to her email. Stevie looked back at the boys left.

“Do you guys wanna go?” she asked. Everyone else was looking at them. Link hoped nobody noticed he and Rhett were holding hands.

“We wanna go last,” Rhett answered, not unkindly. Stevie tucked her hair behind her ear, smirking at Jen. The girls nodded up at Mrs. Johnson.

“We will!” Stevie called. Mrs. Johnson nodded as well, pulling up the video and pausing. Before she could even ask, Stevie explained. “Jen and I wanted to do like, a VICE type show. We called it ‘Days of Our Lives’ and this episode is sort of like, finding out more information about environmental awareness here in Macon.”

Mrs. Johnson smiled at started the video. Right from the start, it was obviously filmed extremely well, with a high quality camera and extra attention to angles and lighting.

It was about seven minutes as well. The girls went around to different shops and area and documented opinions about the environment and the effects of industrialisation. At some point, they entered a zoo and aquarium and discussed situations, and not only did they educate the workers they spoke to, they learnt things themselves.

Link was both fascinated and impressed by the end of it. He was the first to clap in the classroom, proud for Jen and Stevie. The effort put into it was obvious and it had paid off. Still, Link found himself anxious, because now, it his and Rhett’s turn. He found himself clamming up as everyone looked back at them expectantly.

“Tell us about your project, guys,” Mrs. Johnson said, clearing her throat. Rhett glanced at Link before beaming from ear to ear, clearing his throat and getting ready to explain.

“Well, this is just a pilot episode, but we called it ‘Good Mythical Morning.’ It’s kinda… just a little talk show, one that is to help people want to wake up in the morning and enjoy it. Or something. We thought it was a cool idea. We hope y’all do too,” Rhett clarified, turning his head to look at Link, who was nodding along.

The video began. Rhett and Link were sitting there at a black card table, Rhett to the left, Link to the right, and a microphone between them. There was a coffee mug by Link, but a cardboard coffee cup by Rhett. The room behind them was messy and looked like an old office space, and if anybody would have asked, they would have told them it was Mr. McLaughlin’s old office.

“Everything you’ve ever thought you knew is wrong,” Rhett said, and they both looked directly at the camera. It cut to a video of Felix recording himself.

“How’s it goin’, bros? My name's Felix Kjellberg from Gothenburg, Sweden. Let’s talk about that!” he said, and the video once again cut, but to an opening this time. One hand set a plate of bacon and eggs down while another set a piece of toast with a ‘G’ burnt into down, then went down putting two ‘M’s beneath it while the first hand put a mug of coffee down. Words appeared by the toast, reading, ‘GOOD MYTHICAL MORNING.’

Once again, it cut back to Rhett and Link. “Good mythical morning!” Link exclaimed, excitedly pointing at the camera.

“We’re about to blow your mind and debunk some myths and misconceptions that you’ve spent your life believing.” Rhett said, glancing over at Link. 

“For example, the five second rule.” Link added. Rhett laughed, shaking his head and leaning slightly away from Link.

“C’mon, man, don’t tell me that. That rule is my life.” he whined. Link looked over off the camera briefly, then back at Rhett.

“It should be the no second rule. The only way you might be safe is if you’re a neat freak like me and keep your floors spotless, IE, no shoes, moppin’ everyday twice a day, all of that. Otherwise, you just don’t know when you’re gonna accidentally just… eat some salmonella, man.” he clarified, but Rhett shook his head.

“Five second rule or bust. Ain’t gonna stop me from eatin’ something I dropped. Heck, I got like, a five minute rule.” Rhett bickered with a smile on his face.

“That is really gross, Rhett.” Link scoffed, nudging his friend. “The worst part is I know exactly what you’re talkin’ about. There was that time at dinner--”

“When I dropped a spoonful of beans on the floor!” Rhett guffawed, nodding along with Link. Link started to laugh as well. “That was the worst day of my life!”

“And I didn’t want you to eat them off the floor, so then I gave you mine, ‘cause I wasn’t gonna eat them anyway.” Link recalled, resting one arm on the table and propping his elbow up to hold his face.

“You share your food with me anyway, man. I clean my plate. Nothing gets left behind.” Rhett pointed out, resting his hands in his lap. Link smiled fondly, gazing up at nothing in particular.

“Yeah, like there was that time, when you took me out to that little milkshake place in Macon? We were sharin’ that strawberry milkshake and you just… you looked very pleased, like you were in love with…” Before Link could finish that thought, Rhett lifted his eyebrows and stared softly at Link.

“I am.” he answered, and Link lowered his hand from his face and stared at Rhett with a large smile on his face. It slowly began to fade as it dawned on him what Rhett had said, but before the conversation could continue, Rhett blushed and laughed and looked at the camera. “Astronaut food--it’s not like ours. They don’t just let their food float around in their spaceship, y’all.”

“In light of the myth busting and food conversation, Rhett and I took it upon ourselves actually got ahold of a couple astronaut food items,” Link added, shrugging off the comment and looking at the camera again. Rhett reached over and grabbed a couple of packets, setting the one with white powder looking stuff down and starting to open the black one.

“This is space pizza,” Rhett said, rather proudly at that. Link nodded, eyes flicking to the food briefly.

“Yeah, we got some space pizza and… malic acid.”

“Freeze-dried pizza, let’s start with that. That seems like it’ll hurt the least.” Rhett decided, holding it up for the camera to see. “Every pizza parlour that is in space, this is what they serve.” He began to take them out, two for the both of them. He passed one to Link, to which Link made a face.

“My stomach does not feel good,” Link said warily, taking the slice as Rhett grabbed one for himself and set down the packaging.

“See, I’ve had astronaut ice cream before.” Rhett noted. Link smelled the pizza.

“Ooh, smells like a bad, bad cracker.” he observed with a slight smirk on his face, smelling it again for extra measure.

“This just seems like school pizza that was just left out in space.” Rhett joked, immediately biting into it. It crunched loudly, dropping all over his clothes. Link crinkled his nose, hesitantly taking a bite shortly after. “Astronauts got it bad.”

“I feel like I’m chewin’ rocks, man,” Link complained, face twisting. “I gotta spit this out.” Rhett immediately started laughing as Link got up and went to spit it into the garbage, chucking in the slice with it. Rhett set the piece down, swallowing what was in his mouth and looking at the camera.

“I’m withdrawing my application from the space programme,” he snickered. He looked up at Link when Link joined him. “Something’s wrong with that. I think we may die.”

“At this rate, I hope we do.” Link snorted, getting comfortable in his spot again. Rhett reached out and grabbed the malic acid. He started to open it.

“Let’s move on to the mysterious white powder,” he laughed, but it was wary. Link eyed the powder suspiciously and then looked back to the camera.

“So, malic acid is basically what goes on anything sour that makes your mouth water and your face pucker.” Link explained as Rhett opened the bag. He held up his hand, about to dip it inside.

“Lick it and stick it and lick it,” Rhett said as Link took the bag from him, looking into it. Both licked their fingers at the same time, and after Link got the powder on his finger, he lifted it out and waited for Rhett.

“Ready?” he asked. “I ain’t.”

“C’mon, Neal!” Rhett exclaimed, sticking his finger in his mouth. Link hurried to do so, and immediately, both of their expressions began to distort. Rhett spasmed, shaking his head. Link tensed up and leaned forward, eyes big.

“Oh gosh!” he cried, looking over at Rhett who was silently fidgeting around. “Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness! I didn’t expect it!” He passed the bag over to Rhett in the process, squeezing his hands into fists as Rhett continued making sour faces. “That is so sour. Oh my flavours.”

“Oh my flavours!” Rhett immediately mocked in some posh southern accent, leaning back. Link pointed at his mouth.

“It’s burning,” he said.

“Oh my flavours,” Rhett said again, only before the two of them started to laugh. He shook his head. “It’s--it’s subsided.”

Link looked back over his shoulder as Rhett set the packet down, still trying to get the taste out of his mouth. He reached back and lifted a wheel onto a platform, then turned back towards the camera. “You know what time it is.” he smirked.

The video switched to one of Ro, grinning brightly. “Hey guys, it’s Ro, and it’s time to spin the Wheel of Mythicality!” Once again, it went back to Rhett and Link, peppy music playing in the background as Link spun the wheel.

“Thanks for watching us suffer through our astronaut taste test and we hoped you learnt a little about the only two misconceptions we talked about,” Rhett laughed. Link watched the wheel carefully, but giggled at Rhett’s comment. The wheel came to a stop.

“Rhett plays Link like a guitar,” Link read, then looked over at Rhett. Rhett’s face turned red.

“Oh my goodness.” They both began to get up, Rhett holding out his arms to Link. Link shifted awkwardly, unsure of where to go. “Let’s switch sides.”

They switched and Link slowly began to lay his body across Rhett’s. Rhett grabbed Link, then shifted his hands and placed one over Link’s face, the other on his lower body. “Where you gonna strum? That kinda concerns me a little,” Link asked shyly, laughing nervously.

“I’m gonna strum on your stomach and I’m gonna do my fingerings on your forehead.” Rhett answered, moving his hand up and down in front of Link’s stomach. Link scoffed.

“Strum on my forearm.” he commanded, and Rhett moved his hand. After they were settled, Rhett began moving his hands and Link made goofy noises. “You ain’t changing your chords!” Link joked, laughing weakly. He looked back at Rhett, then back to the camera. “Sing somethin’!”

Rhett blushed harder, a big smile on his face. “No, I’m--”

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” Link sang, causing Rhett to laugh harder.

“It’s not a singing guitar! You’re--you’re startin’ to hurt my leg!” he cackled, reaching down to adjust Link’s body. “Make guitar noises, man!”

Link resumed his noises in the midst of his loud chortles as Rhett acted like he was furiously strumming. Finally, the video ended.

The whole class turned to Rhett and Link and loudly applauded their work. Link started to shyly giggle, turning his head and hiding his face in Rhett’s shoulder. Rhett covered his face, reaching around and pulling Link into him.

“That was awesome, you guys!” Jen cheered. “You guys are really funny! You could really get somewhere with that.”

“Thank you,” Rhett murmured with a small grin.

“You all did a wonderful job with your projects,” Mrs. Johnson announced. Everyone looked back at her. “Since it’s the last day, you guys can have the rest of the hour for free time. I’ll be working on grading your projects.”

Immediately, the other four starting crowding around Rhett and Link, praising them, asking them questions, whatever. The entire time, Rhett kept his arm around Link, and Link finally realised that he was good enough to succeed. He was going places, and with Rhett. He looked up at Rhett and beamed.


	20. xx

Link got on his toes and tried to look over Rhett’s shoulder as Rhett recorded the calves in their new pasture. “Why’d we get them so much sooner than spring?” Link asked, pressing his hands against Rhett’s hips. He’d learnt that Rhett especially liked it when Link held his hips. Rhett looked over his shoulder and back at Link.

“Dad knows,” he said. Link rolled his eyes, releasing Rhett and walking up to the fence. He could feel Rhett recording him, but didn’t make a comment. He leaned against the fence.

“I don’t know the first thing about raising cattle.” he grunted. Rhett walked up to him, standing beside him and filming his face.

“Neither do I, brother.” he smirked. Link rotated his head over to look at Rhett, lifting his hand to hold it in front of the camera as he giggled and shyly covered his face.

“Man, get that dang thing outta my face!” he demanded, but it was with an endearing tone. Rhett didn’t move the camera from Link, still twittering and trying to get a good shot.

“I’m filming the art,” Rhett insisted, gazing softly down at the black-haired boy. Link’s cheeks grew hot as he peered up, slowly lowering his hands down. He got comfortable leaning back against the fence, trying to look smooth.

“Then you should be filming yourself,” purred Link. Rhett whistled at him, trying to hide the fact he was flustered. Out of nowhere, hands clapped the two boys on the shoulders. They both jumped and looked back in alarm. Mr. McLaughlin was standing there, looking out at the cattle.

“I have something to tell you boys.” he said, looking at both of their faces. Rhett stopped recording, lowering the camera. Both of them turned to face the man. Mr. McLaughlin stepped backwards and adjusted his hat, then placed his hands on his hips.

Link hated the dramatic pause Mr. McLaughlin was forcing them to suffer through. He wanted to reach out and take Rhett’s hand, and he got the feeling that’s what Rhett wanted too, by the way Rhett was inching closer to him.

“I hired a ranch hand to help out with the calves. He’s gonna be comin’ out here around March. I mean, we gotta look after them until then, but I just wanted to give you a heads up.” Mr. McLaughlin informed. Rhett and Link sceptically glanced each other. Rhett finally smiled.

“Who is he? Where’s he from?” he interrogated, crossing his arms. Link leaned against Rhett, feeling his heart beat faster. The best way to describe what he was feeling was jealous, but he didn’t know if that was really what it was. He did know that it was a negative feeling, even if he couldn’t place why.

“Well, he’s sixteen and he’s from California.” Mr. McLaughlin answered, and after seeing the way Rhett’s face lit up, Link felt that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He forced himself to keep smiling. “His name’s Mark and he, his brother, and his dad are movin’ down here.”

“What part of California? Is it close to Thousand Oaks?” Rhett continued excitedly. Link wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear more information on this Mark lad. He had absolutely no reason to be feeling like this. It was going to be over a month from now, and Rhett liked girls.

_But Rhett kissed you,_ Link thought and he knew he had a reason to be jealous. They still hadn’t talked about it. It hadn’t happened again after that, either, and Link was too stubborn to admit he wanted it to happen again, too stubborn to admit he wanted Rhett.

Maybe there were still things about him that couldn’t change, or maybe he just wasn’t putting in enough effort to change.

He watched as Rhett and Mr. McLaughlin began walking off, discussing more about Mark and the whole situation. By the sounds of it, Mr. McLaughlin didn’t know a lot about it yet, but they were getting there. Link decided to let them have their moment and peered out to the calves.

Link hopped over the fence and approached the closest calf to him. He knelt down to where it was lying, slowly reaching out to scratch its face. “Look at you; you lookin’ like a little mutated miniature horse.” Link cooed, looking into its beady eyes.

The calf made a noise at him. Link snorted. He reached up and scratched it behind the ear, a sigh parting from his lips. He didn’t bother to look up when he heard the ground crunching underfoot behind him, figuring it was likely Mr. McLaughlin or Rhett coming back over so soon. He stroked the calf’s velvety ears.

“Hey, kid,” Mama Di said and Link ultimately twisted his head back. He gave a tight lopsided smile at the woman, really wishing that he could have just been left alone to wallow to himself.

“Hey, Mama Di.” he greeted, rotating his body towards her. He got comfortable in his squatting position, releasing another sigh. Mama Di smiled softly, leaning against the fence and peering across at him. 

“Did you hear about Mark?” she asked. Link scowled. He looked down at his feet, his lips turned downwards. He could hear Mama Di chuckle. “I take that as a yes.”

“I did.” Link muttered. He peeked up at her for a fleeting moment. He wanted to run into her arms and huff and puff about it and his irrational feelings towards it.

“Why don’t you look happy? He’s around yours and Rhett’s age,” she pointed out, but Link thought to himself, _That’s exactly why I’m not happy._ He opened his mouth to speak but immediately closed it. He knew he could be honest with Mama Di and could trust her, sure, but he also wasn’t sure how far the motherly ‘I love you unconditionally’ would extend. Link swallowed down the excess spit in his mouth.

“I know…” he mumbled. “But he’s from Cali, and he can like, do this stuff. I can’t.”

“Neither can Rhett,” Mama Di mentioned. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Are you scared Mark’s going to replace you as Rhett’s best friend?” she asked, lifting a slender brow. 

Link tensed. He simultaneously loved and hated that she could guess that so easily. He nodded slowly, refusing to look up. It wasn’t the full truth, but it was basically the truth. There was a little more to that than ‘replaced as Rhett’s best friend.’ He could still remember the way Rhett’s lips felt on his and he was already missing the warmth of Rhett’s large palm.

“Rhett loves you.” Mama Di said and Link could instantly feel the heat rise to his face and his chest tighten. If he would have looked at Mama Di’s face, he would have realised that she meant it in exactly the way Link initially thought. “Nobody replaced you while you were apart for seven years, nobody’s going to replace you now. That’s not an assumption, that’s a guarantee.”

“Thanks, Mama Di, but I’m still worried.” Link confessed, finally lowering from the squatting position into criss-cross-applesauce. He cupped his hands in his cheeks. He’d learnt criss-cross-applesauce with Rhett…

“I can understand why, but I promise you that Mark coming won’t change anything between you two unless you let it.” Mama Di grinned. Link peeked up at her.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked in a slightly snarky tone. Mama Di shrugged it off, as every mother had learnt to do with teenagers. She clasped her hands together while she adjusted her position by the fence.

“Well, you can rest assured that in no world would Rhett ever pine over Mark more, or you can make yourself believe that Rhett is replacing you with Mark and cause unnecessary conflict and tension between y’all.” she tried to explain as gently as possible, and it worked. Link gave a small nod of the head, the faintest of smiles gracing his lips. He hadn’t exactly caught on to her word choice of ‘pine.’

“I see what you mean.” he said gently, looking back down to his hands. He could picture his hand in Rhett’s and suddenly felt a pang of guilt for getting possessive. Rhett did feel the same, right?

“Do you want to go help me make some chili, dumpling?” Mama Di asked, lifting her brows at Link. Link perked up at this, immediately beginning to rise to his feet.

“We ain’t gonna use the calves, right?” he returned with a playful smirk. Mama Di laughed heartily, wrapped her arm around Link after he’d hopped over the fence to join her. She bent up and kissed him on the head, guiding him towards the house.

“Not today, kid.”


	21. xxi

Link stared out at the passing city lights like he had never seen Macon before. His hands were lightly trembling, but he couldn’t decide if that was due to his window being cracked in the midst of a chilly February night or because of anxiety. He wondered if Rhett was as nervous as he was.

The rickety pickup pulled into the parking lot and stopped. Rhett looked over at Link and immediately smiled. “Your hair looks so cute like that.” he commented, beginning to open up his door. Link hid his own smirk and glanced away. Mama Di had styled it for him. It was neatly swept down over his forehead, and honestly, it looked straight out of the 70’s.

Before he got the opportunity to open his door, Rhett had jogged around to open it for him. Link’s grin increased as he stepped out, reaching for Rhett’s arm. Rhett slammed the door shut, resting his hand on top of Link’s on his arm. “Such a gentleman,” Link purred.

“Only for the best,” Rhett returned in his charming voice. Link followed him towards the entrance, his heart race slowly increasing more and more. He stared up at the Valentine’s Day decorations hung up on the entrance, thinking happily to himself that he was spending Valentine’s Day with Rhett. If only he wasn’t dreading the actual event they were doing for their date.

When they entered the roller rink, Link’s ears were filled with loud dance music. Strobe lights were flashing everywhere, and while had to admit that it looked cool, he swore he was about to go into a panic attack. He was dreading entering that roller rink, which was, surprisingly, not as crowded as he’d initially anticipated it to be.

Link stared over at the large disco ball above the rink as Rhett guided him to the shoe sizing area. Rhett momentarily retracted his hand to get his wallet, then beginning to shout over the music as they walked. “It’s all on me tonight, baby,” called Rhett. “You can have whatever you want, just ask.”

“Don’t call me baby,” Link reminded with a bashful smirk. “It embarrasses me.” They unlooped their arms and told the man behind the desk their shoe sizes, and while Rhett was waiting, Link noticed Felix and Chase skating out from the rink, Felix’s hands holding Chase’s waist to guide him.

Rhett held both his and Link’s skates and beckoned him to join him towards the rink. Link stuffed his shaky hands in his pockets, trying to hide just how nervous he actually was. _Am I nervous about a Valentine’s Day date with Rhett, or how I’m going to bust my ass in front of him and all these other people?_ Link thought.

Link sat down with Rhett, watching Rhett begin to remove his shoes. Felix and Chase joined them not long after, removing their skates. Felix grinned. “You two following us?”

“You didn’t take your girlfriend out for Valentine’s Day?” Link had to ask, to distract from his nerve. Felix crinkled his nose up at Link. 

“Who’s my girlfriend?” he asked, laughing lightly after. Link’s eyes followed Rhett’s hands lifting his set of skates. He gulped.

“I thought you and Ro were dating,” he noted. “I-I dunno, it just seemed like it.”

“No, good friends.” Felix clarified. Link blushed and got the courage to ask.

“So are you and Chase…?”

Felix looked over at quiet Chase, who blushed harder than he already had been. He even managed a timid little smile. Felix winked at Link. “Who knows?” he returned, and just like that, they stood up and carried their shoes and roller skates back over to the counter.

Link looked over at Rhett. He wished he had the confidence that Felix did about these things. Rhett was putting on his skates. He looked over at Link with a lifted brow. “You can put yours on, you know.” he chuckled. Link could feel apprehension scratching at him.

“Yeah.” he muttered. He looked down to his roller skates, which were bright pink and sparkly. He actually really liked them, not that he planned on confessing that, or finding the motivation to put them on. His body twitched and fidgeted in place as he stared blankly.

Rhett knelt down in front of him and began removing his shoes for him. Link jumped, coming out of his thoughts and focusing on Rhett. Rhett smiled up at him. “Let me help you out,” he said.

“I can do it by myself,” Link mumbled. Rhett lifted his brows, setting the first shoe aside. He moved to the second shoe, chuckling. Link made no move to stop him.

“You weren’t doin’ it while we were sittin’ there,” Rhett pointed out. Link huffed, but refrained from making the witty remark he desperately wanted to make. The song that had been playing stopped, and in turn, Rip It Up by Orange Juice came on. Rhett’s head began bobbing as he set the last shoe aside and began reaching for the first of Link’s skates. Link paled. He swallowed hard.

“Uh, Rhett…” he started, but his words caught in his throat. Rhett smiled up at him, sliding the roller skate on Link’s foot. He began to tie it up without responding, under the assumption Link was gonna say something. He peeked up at him expectantly as he tugged Link’s jean leg over the top of the skates. He started to move on to the next one. Link finally found his words. “I-I’m not sure about this.”

Rhett’s smile fell. “What?”

Link’s heart practically stopped. “I’ve n-never went skating before, I’m scared of embarrassing myself.” he admitted, relieved when Rhett started smiling again. Rhett finished tying up the skate and pulled the other leg down, then carefully stood back up. Miraculously, he didn’t fall with his skates on.

“I’ll help you out! C’mon. It’s not so bad.” Rhett encouraged, holding his hand out to Link. Link stared at his hand, blanching. His lips pursed together tightly. Hesitantly, he took hold of Rhett’s palm and started to lift himself. He immediately started to slip and wobble, gripping Rhett’s hand with both of his. Rhett laughed, using his free hand to gently grab Link’s waist and steady him.

Link felt like a newborn deer walking for the first time as they made their way onto the actual rink floor. He couldn’t stand straight. When they hit the floor, Link released Rhett to cling to the side by the wall, shaking violently with round eyes. Rhett stood about two or three feet from Link, skating around as if it were the easiest thing in the entire world.

“C’mon, Link! I’ll help you. You can do it.” Rhett encouraged. He paused, thinking for a moment before smirking and beginning to hum out a little tune. “We got wheels, that makes us better, why judge each other when we can judge everybody else together?” he sang out to Link, holding out his arms. Link finally managed to laugh lightly. He looked at his feet.

“I don’t know what to do,” Link whimpered. Rhett skated closer, looking as though he were going to touch Link’s waist again, but he lowered his hands at the last moment.

“Do you think you can relax a little?” Rhett asked sweetly, glancing him up and down. “That’s really important. You don’t wanna be stiff while you skate. You also have to unbuckle your knees. Take a few deep breaths and relax, slowly.”

Link took a long exhale, forcing his shoulders to relax to the best of his ability. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Rhett was lightly dancing to the song overhead, wondered how Rhett was doing it so smoothly.

“When you’re ready, take off with your non-dominant foot.” Rhett instructed. Link looked up at him, still holding onto the side.

“I’m ambidextrous,” he scoffed. Rhett gave him a playful roll of the eyes.

“Whichever side you use most, take off with the opposite,” he returned. Link gulped, and after talking himself up for a moment, he finally pushed himself towards Rhett on one foot, then slowly used the other. He was surprised to find that he didn’t fall. Rhett laughed happily, reaching out to take Link’s hand. “There you go! You’re doing great! Good job!”  
Link grasped Rhett’s hand tightly, beginning to grin brightly as they started skating away from the edge of the wall. Rhett was swaying to the sound of the song, but Link still wasn’t comfortable to do anything beyond moving onward. The song faded out, and not long after, Cool Places by Sparks come on.

Rhett released Link’s hand, doing a dance to the beat that was definitely appropriate for the 80’s theme. Link laughed weakly, stumbling a little, but trying to copy his actions. He slipped a little and almost panicked, but Rhett reached out and grabbed him. 

“Link, will you be able to keep yourself steady for a minute? I have to go get different skates, these are feeling loose.” Rhett asked above the music, slowly letting Link go. Link wanted to skate off screaming at the idea of it, but he also wanted Rhett to be proud of him and see that he could do it for him.

“Yeah, sure, I’ll be right here.” Link obliged, deciding he wasn’t going to get confident enough to try and dance without Rhett being there to save him. Rhett bent slightly down, looking as if he were about to peck Link on the cheek, but blushed and decided against it at the last second. He began to skate off toward the entrance.

Link decided that it would be a good time to practise his skills and techniques while he waited, but felt too insecure to do more than just stand there. He nodded his head along to the song, glancing around the rink.

And he laid his eyes upon her.

She looked around his age, with blonde hair that draped her shoulders, shone like gold. He could see her glance him up and down, then watched as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and smiled at him. _That’s a girl,_ he thought, and thought she was pretty, but realised she wasn’t making his heart pound in the way that girls used to.

The girl wiggled her finger at him, enticing him closer. Link blushed upon realising she wanted him, but didn’t dare move closer. All he could think about was how he would betray Rhett by even considering such a thing. That and he found that he didn’t want to go to her. When Link realised why, mixed feelings stung at his heart.

This was Valentine’s Day date. Maybe Rhett did feel the same, but Link found that he was just in denial about his own feelings. He knew for a fact Rhett was his best friend, undeniably, but he didn’t understand why he wanted to hold Rhett’s hand so bad, to kiss him so bad, to open up his heart to him and be romantic, to be his best friend and life partner, but also, so much more than just that…

Cool Places ended and Can’t Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon came on instead. Link smirked, thinking to himself how the timing was uncanny. He didn’t want to fight it anymore, but didn’t know how to handle it or what to do. In the midst of his thoughts, he realised that the girl had mistaken his smirk as one directed at her, and she was starting to skate her way over. Link kept his easy smile, but began to internally panic.

He stole a glance around again, more than relieved when he saw Rhett making his way back towards him, much quicker than the girl, at that. He met Rhett halfway, surprising himself by going smoothly. He turned his head and glanced at the girl, making sure she watched as he placed his hands on Rhett’s chest and bent up to kiss his cheek. He smirked again, and this time it was actually for her. She gave an awkward smile back, then turned around to skate back to where she’d come from.

“Link,” Rhett laughed nervously, staring down at him. His face was bright red, but he had a goofy grin on his face.

“S-sorry, should I not have done that?” Link asked, laughing anxiously. Rhett placed one hand on Link’s upper back, then grabbed his free hand and held it up. Link awkwardly put his arm over Rhett’s, holding onto him.

“You should keep doin’ that,” Rhett chuckled, beginning to spin Link around. It was some form of a slow dance on skates, his eyes never once leaving Link’s face. Link could safely say that his eyes never once left Rhett’s, either. He realised he was no longer anxious, and he was going pretty smooth, at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all SO much for all of the love and support for this story <3 were nearing the end! i love you all more than i can say. happy holidays! keep hangin in there! xoxo


	22. xxii

Link had his arms crossed as he stared at the Volkswagen pulling into the driveway. There were suitcases tied to the top of the hood, and Link could already see the amount of luggage stuffed into the car. It pulled to a stop, and shortly after, people began to crawl out of the car.

The first was an older man, his soft light hair beginning to bald, dark bags under his eyes. His two sons that followed not long after looked nothing like him. Both had fluffy heaps of dark hair and dark eyes, facial hair already smooth on their faces. Even from the distance they were at, Link could tell both were shorter than him.

“Mr. Fischbach!” Mr. McLaughlin greeted cheerily, beginning to step towards the man. Mr. Fischbach grinned softly, holding out his hand to shake. The younger boy was grinning brightly, beginning to follow his father with a bounce in his step. The older boy was still lingering by the passenger’s side. Link could relate.

A big golden dog hopped out of the car and padded up behind the younger boy, barking a couple times and wagging her big fluffy tail. Link watched as Rhett began rushing toward the boy and the dog. “Oh my gosh, it’s so big! What’s its name?” he asked.

“Chica!” the sixteen year old exclaimed. Though he was around 5’10, he looked no taller than 5’1 next to Rhett. “She’s my big fuzzy wuzzy.”

Mr. Fischbach looked back at his sons and waved for the older boy to come closer. He stepped back and wrapped his arms around them. He was smiling, but Link could tell there was something sad about it. “This is Tom,” Mr. Fischbach introduced, squeezing the older boy’s shoulder. “He’s a senior.” Tom looked away awkwardly.

“I’m Mark! I’m a junior!” the younger one greeted before his dad got the opportunity. Rhett stepped back, glancing down at Link and grabbing his arm. Link stumbled forward, keeping his head down. He could feel heat rise to his face. He was trying to be positive.

“I’m Rhett, and this is Link,” Rhett returned, lifting Link’s arm to make it wave. Link couldn’t help but grin, as much as he tried to fight it. “He’s kinda shy.” Tom glanced upwards and over at Link, the tiniest of smiles gracing his lips.

“There’s no reason to be shy around me! I love meeting new people. I hope we can all be great friends! You’re so cool already!” Mark cheered. He made the whole area feel light and warm. 

_And I hope you choke,_ Link thought bitterly, but his fake grin didn’t reveal that. Mama Di waved for the group to follow her.

“Y’all, come inside! I can get everyone a glass of sweet tea and y’all can sit down and rest. Heaven knows that was an awfully long drive,” she insisted, leading everyone inside to the kitchen. 

“Can Chica come inside?” Mark asked, patting the dog’s head. Mr. McLaughlin grinned, tipping his hat to him as he walked.

“Well, ‘course she can! I bet I can find an old steak bone for her somewhere.” he encouraged. Link fell behind everyone else, even Tom. Rhett was in step with Mark and Tom, him and Mark already chattering each other’s ears off. Link was thinking about everything Mama Di had told him, yet he still couldn’t convince himself everything was gonna be okay.

There were three extra chairs pulled around the kitchen table. Mr. Fischbach sat at the end of the table, Mark sat where Rhett usually sat, and Tom sat between them. Mr. McLaughlin sat in his spot, and Rhett took the spot that Link usually sat at by Mark. Dejected, Link sat at the other end, which was still close to Rhett, but that wasn’t the point. After Mama Di poured everyone tea and passed it out, she sat down.

“So, y’all got any plans for after school?” Mr. McLaughlin wasted no time asking, looking at the Fischbach boys. Tom blushed, gave a bashful shrug of the shoulders. However, Mark wasted no time answering.

“Well, I would really like to do something with gaming when I graduate, ‘cause I’ve always really liked gaming, but more seriously, I wanna go to school to be a civil engineer!” he declared, taking a sip of his tea. Rhett laughed in disbelief, but Link could only feel more dread in the pit of his stomach. He stole a glance at Mr. McLaughlin, who was gazing at Mark with the expression of ‘I already like you more than the other black-haired kid I was stuck with.’

“I think you and I are gonna get on just fine, Mark.” Mr. McLaughlin noted brightly, winking at him. “Have you ever worked on a ranch before?”

“No, I haven’t.” Mark admitted. “I really wanted to have the experience, though! I’ve never got to experience any ranches first hand before. I thought it’d be something cool to learn.” Link wanted to sink down in his chair. He peeked over at the Fischbach’s. As Mark was talking, he realised that Mr. Fischbach looked more and more saddened. He furrowed his brows together, suspicious of whatever was going on.

“So, what do you do for fun?” Mama Di asked, holding her cup in her palms. Finally, Tom took his turn to speak.

“I draw comics,” he said, and everyone was waiting for a further comment, but it never came. Mark let the pause happen before he started up again. He set his cup down and patted Chica on the head.

“I like to play video games with Tom! I also like to cook and stuff, and I’m super into outer space. Oh! And I can play the trumpet.” Mark added at the end, nodding his head enthusiastically. His hair bounced as he did.

Link wanted to scream, or cry, or both. Mark really was everything that he wasn’t so far. He could even play the trumpet. He didn’t need to look up to see the way the McLaughlin’s were watching him in admiration. Rhett included. _Rhett included._ Link thought he could feel his heart snap in half.

“Oh, ‘fore I forget, do y’all need a place to sleep tonight? It was a pretty long drive.” Mr. McLaughlin offered. Link stared blankly at the table.

“No,” Mr. Fischbach muttered his reply. “We’re moving in with my girlfriend here. Thank you for your offer, though.”

There was an awkward silence. The adults all looked around at each other quietly before Mr. McLaughlin cleared his throat and smiled. “Rhett, Link, why don’t you guys show Tom and Mark around the ranch? Show Mark where the calves are, you know?”

“Sure thing! Let’s go!” Rhett said cheerily, getting up. Mark was the first to follow, followed by Tom, then finally Link. As they got outside, Rhett began to talk again. “So, how’d Chica get her name?”

Chica looked up at Rhett at the mention, but stayed by Mark’s side. Mark patted her head. “One of my favourite games is Five Nights at Freddy’s. I play it like, all the time. Chica’s one of the characters in the game! She’s yellow, and so is my little Chica girl.” he cooed, snickering at the dog.

Link could hear Rhett and Mark talking more after that, but the words were unclear to him. He was too engulfed in his own internal monologue to pay attention to their banter. He stared at Rhett’s hand, wanting to grab it, but Rhett could not have seemed less interested in him at that moment. They even seemed to be including Tom more than him.

He waited until they had turned to go look at the calves, then turned the opposite direction to the stables. He couldn’t decide if he was happy or extremely hurt that nobody had noticed. He got everything he needed, then went out to the pasture to tack up Lightning. He guided the horse out, shut the gate behind him, and crawled on to ride.

His whole life, Link had believed in God. There had never been a doubt in his mind, never, even in his darkest moments. Yet then and there, Link was questioning His existence. 

Link was changing. His grades were better than they ever had been, he was beginning to feel confident in himself, and his feelings, like he actually deserved things, and now, it felt like everything good that had happened was being ripped from him. And maybe Link was being melodramatic, but he felt God was to blame for this, or, the alternative, that He wasn’t real.

He wasn’t sure what he believed anymore. He kicked Lightning to go faster, knitting his brows together. He considered not stopping, just going as far as Lightning could take him and never looking back. _You're being a drama queen, Neal,_ he thought to himself, yet did nothing to fix it.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like Mark, at least, he didn’t think that’s what it was. It was that there was somebody that was like him--but better--now in Rhett’s life, that Rhett was fascinated by. As if it wasn’t enough that Mark also had dark hair, and glasses, but he could also play the trumpet, his name was four letters and ended with a ‘k,’ and all the places Link failed at, Mark could do. Mark wanted to be a civil engineer, Mark could actually cook, Mark was nice and outgoing, Mark was more interesting, Mark was more handsome, Mark was…

Mark was Mark, not Link. That alone made Mark better than Link.

When Link could smell barbecue in the air, he began to turn Lightning around. Barbecuing was one of Rhett’s different “layers,” as he called it. There was no doubt that some form of barbecuing had started, in honour of the Fischbach’s arrival. As he got Lightning back to the stable, he could see everyone gathered in the distance, sitting around on patio and laughing. He untacked Lightning and silently thanked him for being there for him. After putting him back in pasture, he watched Lightning trot off to cheerily join Traveller and Madame. Link not-so-cheerily joined the Fischbach’s and the McLaughlin’s.

“There you are, Link!” Rhett was the first to exclaim when Link started to approach them. “We didn’t even notice that you’d left at first, brother!”

_Yeah, trust me, I noticed that you didn’t fucking notice._ Link thought petulantly. Rather than saying anything, he shrugged his shoulders, stepping closer. Mama Di smiled at him and patted the seat next to her. Link couldn’t help but notice that Rhett was sitting next to Mark.

“Link, I never got the chance to tell you, but I really like your outfit! It reminds me of something Dan Avidan would wear.” Mark commented, beaming brightly at Link. As Link sat next to Mama Di, he tried his hardest not to frown at the younger boy.

“I don’t know who that is.” he mumbled. Mark giggled, blushing lightly. In return, Rhett laughed, just because Mark had. Link forced himself to look away, his insides burning up with emotions he couldn’t decide. 

“Oh, he’s one of the guys from this gaming channel I really like, called the Game Grumps! Have you ever heard of them? That’s my favourite channel, like, ever. They’re super funny. If you get the chance, you guys should watch them!” Mark suggested happily. Link clasped his hands together, squeezing them hard.

“They are pretty funny. I’d watch the Mario Sunshine series,” Tom added.

“I don’t even know what a gaming channel is.” Link said through gritted teeth. He could hear the chair squeak from Mark shifting.

“You know, like on YouTube?” Mark clarified. Link finally looked up and over at Mark, puzzled more than anything. 

“I don’t really know what that is either.” he answered honestly. Mark and Tom gave each other a shocked look, Mark scooting to the edge of his seat as if he was about to give Link a whole discourse.

“Aw, dude, YouTube is really cool! You can find like, a video for everything on there! There are different channels, think of it like a TV channel, where creators upload their own show, video, whatever. You can make a living on YouTube if your channel gets popular enough! I have my own channel, but it’s obviously not popular at all, I’m still in high school. I hope someday it’ll take off, though!” Mark continued. Rhett immediately looked at Link, grinning.

“Link, that’s perfect for what we wanna do! Ain’t that like, exactly perfect for what we gon’ do?” Rhett asked excitedly, waving his hands. Link stared at him, still hurt.

“Yeah.” was all he could manage to say. Mark laughed again.

“You guys want to make videos and content and stuff but didn’t even know what YouTube was?” Mark had to ask. Link bristled. _I said I didn’t really know what it was, I’m not so socially inept and sheltered that I don’t know about the biggest damn video site out there._ he thought sourly.

“Well, I’ve never really went on it before! I’ve heard of it, I mean, it’s 2017 after all, but yeah man! That’s perfect for us!” Rhett babbled on. Link found himself trying to violently safeguard his heart all over again. _One step forward, two steps back._

Link crossed his arms and listened to everyone talk, playing it off as he was cold. He was cold. He glanced at Rhett, who seemed like he was enjoying Mark more and more by the second, who had hardly said anything to Link. _But not as cold as Rhett,_ Link thought, swallowing down his heartache.


	23. xxiii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: arguing

“Link, you’re on _honour roll_ ,” Mama Di gasped as Rhett and Link came through the door. This time, Link didn’t even so much as smile. Mama Di pulled him into a tight embrace. “I’m so proud of you, Link! That’s amazing! You’re graduating with honours!”

“Link, that’s awesome, man!” Rhett exclaimed, patting Link on the back. Link looked up at him blankly, then straight ahead again. He didn’t talk or anything. He just continued walking to their bedroom with the idea in his head he was just gonna work on homework. He could hear Mama Di whisper to Rhett and ask him if Link was okay, but Link paid it no mind. He knew they both damned well knew he wasn’t.

The dark bags underneath his eyes had returned, he’d noticed. Rhett had commented on it, and caressed his cheek, tried to stroke it, but Link had pulled away. He was doing the exact opposite of what Mama Di had suggested. He’d let himself believe that Rhett was replacing him with Mark, and had indeed caused unnecessary conflict and tension between them all. Well, in his head, that’s what it was like.

“Hey kid,” Mr. McLaughlin said as Link entered the kitchen, holding the phone down. “Your mama’s on the line.”

Link’s heart dropped as Mr. McLaughlin passed him the phone. _Why me?_ he thought, holding it slowly up to his ear and letting his backpack fall to the ground. Rage washed over him. “What in the fuck do you want?” he immediately spat out without even considering it. Mr. McLaughlin shot him a stare and mouthed out ‘language,’ but Link shot him his icy glare right back.

“Charles Lincoln Neal III, that is absolutely no way to talk to your mother, let alone greet her.”

“Happy Thanksgiving. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Happy Valentine’s Day. Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Am I missing any? I can’t remember, ‘cause you missed callin’ on so many.” Link barked, squeezing the phone tightly in his palm.

“Link, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry. You weren’t sorry the first goddamn time. First time it was a month. It’s--it’s been around four or five now. Four or five months without even a hello from my mom. You’re not sorry. You don’t fucking care. Have you ever cared, Mom? Have you ever?” Link shouted, heart racing fast. This was the last thing he needed. _When things get bad, they really get bad._

“Of course I’ve cared. I cared enough to put a roof over your head, and get you clothes, and give you food, and care for you.”

“Mom, you sent me eight hours away to a family we hadn’t seen in _seven years_ and don’t call me for multiple months at a time and you call that caring for me? Can I mention it’s all for something that I didn’t do? At all?” he retorted, trying to understand her reasoning without success.

“Stop the nonsense, Link. I called to talk about when you graduate in May.”

“It’s almost April. It’s still gonna be awhile. What more is there to talk about?” Link snapped.

“What are you gonna do when you come back out here to Buies Creek? You gonna stay with us? Your step-dad don’t really want you stayin’ back at the house, after what you did.”

“First of all, I can’t believe I have to tell you again, don’t fucking call him that!” Link cried out, stomping his foot on the ground. “He hasn’t done anything to earn that! He places his kids over me and he always has! Damn, Mom! If I got worse grades than his kids, he’d let me know how dumb I was, and if I got better grades than his kids, he’d rip up my homework so my grades’d drop!

Second off, Mom, I didn’t fucking do it. Why do you think I did so bad? They told y’all that I didn’t do anything, at all, even with my record where it is. They told y’all I was lucky to have my life. They told y’all that I did nothin’. Why do you not believe them? I don’t get it! I really don’t get it!”

“Link, I’m not talking about this right now.”

“I am!” Link yelled. “You don’t realise how fucked up y’all got me. You don’t understand the trauma and abandonment issues I deal with daily. Christ, Mom, a new kid moved down here and now I got myself convinced that Rhett doesn’t care about me in the slightest and he’s gonna abandon me for this kid. You know why? It’s ‘cause of you. All the times you--”

“--left you alone with Gramma, yeah yeah yeah, Link, I’ve heard you bitch about it before! You’re making this a soap opera when it doesn’t need to be.”

“Listen to me!” Link found himself crying out all over again, slamming his back against the wall. “I’m not making this a soap opera! I’m telling you how I feel and you never listen!”

“Your life’s been pretty smooth, Link. You’re making this up to get sympathy.”

“Who is it I’m trying to impress by making this up? You? That don’t make any sense!” Link attempted to reason, shaking his head. He could feel a headache coming on. This time he didn’t even get the urge to cry. He just wanted to scream until his lungs were raw and there was no more air left, and then he could just die. He thought that might hurt less.

“I shouldn’t have had you. I… I knew I shouldn’t’ve. I knew you were gonna turn out just like your father.”

A cold flash washed over Link. His heart simultaneously ached and felt like it stopped all at once. “What…?” he choked out, unable to really process more words than just that. His eyes fixated hard on the chairs in front of him.

“You’re going to end up a deadbeat, just like him.”

Link’s breathing began to rapidly increase, his face feeling hot as he clenched his teeth. He tried his best to hold back, to collect himself before he reacted out of passion, but in the end, he couldn’t help but let loose, and boy did it feel good.

“Honour roll! Mama Di told me I’m on honour roll, moments before this, and I didn’t even think to thank her for telling me how proud she was of me! I know what I’m going to do when I graduate, I know what my career aspirations are, and who they’re going to be with! I’ve made friends! I’ve come out of my shell! I realised, I realised that I’m in love and I’ve found a life partner! I’ve learnt what being an adult means, and you know what, Mama? You wanna know what? It IS all thanks to you! Thanks to you because everything, all of this, I’ve achieved it all, I’ve persevered to spite you!

You’ve told me that I’m trouble, that I can’t do shit, that I’m going to amount to nothing! Your stupid husband’s made me feel like an idiot. Y’all together told me I was gonna be average white trash, livin’ on a street somewhere, shootin’ dope, whatever. Honour roll! I am graduating with honour roll, next to my best friend, with goals in my life, with achievements earned and wrongs that have been made right, and it’s all thanks to how much I hate you! I hate you, I hate him, and I hate Buies Creek! I hate everything about it!

My life’s been pretty smooth, yeah, smooth in the past months that you ain’t been in it, maybe! I had the chance to grow without you, and I’m done bein’ mad at you for sendin’ me out here, ‘cause getting me the fuck away from you is the best thing you could have ever--EVER--possibly done for me. I hate you. Never, EVER, call me again. Ever.”

Link slammed the phone back into its place after a couple attempts, his whole body shaking. As he stormed passed the entryway to the kitchen, he could see the McLaughlin’s staring at him in shock out of his peripheral vision. He walked into his and Rhett’s room and slammed the door shut behind him.

What he had left out was that life still wasn’t so smooth. Was life ever smooth? Maybe he was making everything more dramatic than it needed to be. Link sat on the edge of his bed and ran his fingers through his hair. Suddenly it dawned on him.

What was he going to do?

What was he going to do after graduation? He wasn’t going to go back to Buies Creek. It wasn’t just because that was the last place on Earth that he wanted to be, but now he couldn’t. He had nowhere else to go. He could stay in Macon, but he couldn’t afford that. He didn’t even know if he was capable of getting a job.

After the way he’d been acting since Mark had arrived, Link doubted Rhett wanted anything to do with Link in the future, Link had convinced himself of that. What was he going to do without Rhett? He’d fallen in love with Rhett and yet he was acting like this.

Why was Link ruining everything? He’d felt so on top of the world going off on his mom like that, yet why was he feeling so down on himself immediately? Why was he so inadequate? Why was he not good enough? Why couldn’t he be honest to others until he was ready to explode?

Why did he have so many questions, and why would he never be able to answer them?

Link lifted his glasses off and set them aside, sighing heavily and cursing himself for the predicament he’d placed himself in. He looked up and over when he heard a knock on the door. “Who is it?” he called, voice breaking partway through.

“Rhett,” the voice returned from the other side. Link wanted nothing more than comfort from him, yet at the same time, he hardly even wanted to look at him.

“Come in,” he obliged, regardless. He refused to look up as Rhett entered the bedroom and softly shut the door behind him, just as the noise of Mark entering through the front door of the house could be heard. Link curled his lip.

Rhett sat down next to him and gently placed his hand on Link’s thigh, staring at him tenderly. “Mama told me that I should leave you alone, but it didn’t feel right not comin’ in to check on you.” he murmured, squeezing Link’s thigh. Link tried to act like the touch hadn’t relaxed him.

“Thanks, I guess.” he muttered. He still refused to look at Rhett. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about feelings, especially to Rhett. Maybe deep down he wanted to, but he was being stubborn.

“Link… I never… meant to make you feel like I was gonna abandon you for Mark. I care about you more than my dang self. Mark’s cool, but he’ll never replace you.” Rhett said quietly. Link turned his head in the opposite direction. He had nothing to say. Well, he had a lot to say, but he couldn’t bring himself to say a word of it. Rhett could feel the tension. He swallowed hard. “Do you want me to leave you alone?”

“For a little bit, yeah.” he answered honestly. He could feel Rhett’s dejection in the way he removed his hand and went to stand up. Despite Link’s sour feelings, he decided that he owed it to Rhett to add more to his statement. “I just need a little bit to calm down before I talk.”

Rhett smiled and Link was glad he hadn’t let Rhett leave without clarifying. “I’ll be back in an hour to check on you,” Rhett reassured quietly, then gracefully made his way out of the room. Link stared at the spot Rhett had been before burying his face in his hands again.

What was he going to do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> early update cos new years eve is tomorrow and im homosexual SUGA


	24. xxiv

“Where’s Rhett?” Felix asked as he sat next to Link at the lunch table. Link looked up. He was midchew.

“I’d mentioned I was a tired, so he insisted that he was gonna run to Starbucks and get me a latte with a few shots of espresso.” he said, swallowing down the food in his mouth. Felix pulled out his phone and after typing for a few minutes, he pulled up a site.

“Cool.” he said, scooting closer to Link and showing him the screen. The logo at the top read ‘YouTube.’ Link glanced at him, quirked a brow. Felix started typing something into the searchbar. “So, this is YouTube. Mark wanted me to show it to you. He’s out right now with Ro. He took her on a date out to eat for lunch, so yeah.”

_As long as it’s not with Rhett, whatever,_ Link thought, realising that he still had petty childish qualities deep down at heart. He’d slightly gotten over it, but he still felt bitterness deep down. He didn’t know if he would stop feeling bitter; he didn’t really know how.

“These are the Grumps. This is like, one of my favourite episodes. They have different series things, and this is part of the VS series. They’re playing Cooking Mama. Um, the one on the top is Arin, and the one on the bottom is Danny. Arin’s voice is clearer than Danny’s is, if that helps clarify who’s who.” Felix babbled, putting the video in fullscreen and tilting his phone. He rested it on the table and leaned over it. As he started the video, he sang with the opening, “Hey, I’m Grump! I’m Not-So Grump! And we’re the Game Grumps!”

Link hesitantly leaned over Felix’s phone to watch. Felix turned up the volume so they could hear it better over the other kids, but Link found that he still was slightly disinterested. His eyes danced around the screen, followed the movements of the game.

“So… they play games and talk?” Link asked. Felix looked up at him like he was crazy for not understanding.

“Yeah. It’s funny.” he said, dead serious. Link cleared his throat.

“I never said it wasn’t,” he stated bluntly. “What you mean is that like, there’s like, a whole audience of people that watch these, obsessively, and it’s just two guys playing a game and occasionally making comments on it, but mostly just… talk to each other?”

“Yeah, dude, not a weird concept.” Felix answered, scoffing. Link shook his head at Felix.

“No, no, you’ve got my attitude all wrong.” he whined. “I’m still tryin’ to figure it out. People enjoy this stuff? I mean, in theory, so would I, I just haven’t really got the chance to experience it. If I can make videos of myself doing mindless things while talking about whatever…”

“You do that anyway. I agree, record yourself. Make profit from it.” Felix teased, nudging Link with a smirk. Link gave him an eyeroll, looking back down at the screen. They watched together in silence for a few minutes before Link actually found himself laughing, which in turn, caused Felix to laugh. “See!”

“Shut up!” Link exclaimed, grinning. “The kneading part was just funny. ‘That’s shenanigans.’”

“That’s shenanigans!” Felix replied with a loud laugh. Link playfully pushed him, then leaned over the phone to watch more. Only a couple more minutes passed before Link looked up, just in time to see a tall figure striding towards them.

Rhett grinned brightly at Link as he walked up to the table. He was blushing, seemed a little flustered and giddy. Link quirked an eyebrow. “Salted caramel mocha.” Rhett said as he set the cup down in front of Link. He cleared his throat, backing away. His cheeks tinted redder. “I-I promised I’d go help Mr. Parker with something. I’ll s-see you later!” Rhett turned around and rushed off.

“He seemed like he was in a hurry.” Felix observed, despite the fact it was obvious. Link shrugged, reaching out to grab his espresso cup. Before he could actually grab it though, he noticed that the name written wasn’t ‘Link,’ and it wasn’t ‘Rhett’ either. Instantly, Link felt heat rise through his entire face, burning up the tips of his ears. His heart beat hard like a drum as he read the letters.

_‘prom?’_

Link adjusted his glasses and read over it again. Felix glanced at him. “What?” he asked, giggling. Link gulped, pointing at the cup with a small little smile. Felix looked over and read the cup, his eyebrows raising immediately as his head snapped back in Link’s direction.

“I-I don’t know what to say,” Link twittered, bashfully covering his face.

“Say yes!” Felix instantly exclaimed. He leaned in closer to Link. “Look, bro. He just got the courage to ask you, his best friend, another guy, out to prom with him. Link, it’s super totally painfully obvious that Rhett’s into you. This whole year I’ve been confused why something like this hasn’t happened already.”

Link touched his own cheek gently. Suddenly, the biggest worry in his life was what to wear to prom. “I’ve never been asked to prom,” Link gasped dreamily, tilting his head to look at Felix.

“What better time to say yes than now?” Felix grinned brightly. “It’s your last year, bro. Go for it.”

“What’re people gonna say…?” Link had to ask, already beginning to feel nervous. Felix reached over and placed his hand on Link’s shoulder comfortingly. His blue eyes met Link’s blue eyes.

“Link,” he started, smile soft and genuine, “Mark and I jokingly kissed the other day and everybody cheered us on. I don’t think they’re gonna care.”

“Yeah, but you just said it was joking.” Link noted, watching Felix sceptically. Felix sighed lightly, but didn’t let his smile waver. He patted Link’s shoulder.

“People are gonna be too focused on their dates to care about you guys. And like I said, it’s your last year, Link. You’re caring too much about what other people think, but not enough about what you think. If I ask you a few things, will you be honest with me?” Before Link could even answer, Felix nodded. “Good. Do you like Rhett?”

“Felix, I--”

“Do you. Like. Rhett?” Felix interrupted. Link bit his lip, finally taking a drink from the cup. He immediately set it back on the table, wincing. He’d burnt his tongue, but at least it tasted good. Felix nudged him hard, watching him expectantly. Link’s face felt as hot as the espresso.

“It’s a little more than like, Felix. A lot more than like.” he replied quietly. Felix scooted closer, until he was pressed right up against Link.

“You love Rhett.” Felix said, equally as quiet. Link covered his face in an instant, laughing anxiously and resting his elbows on the table.

“Goddammit, Felix, stop reading me like that!” he cried out. Felix started to cackle, shaking his head and grabbing his phone from the table. Before more could be said, the bell for passing time rang. Link scurried to grab his tray with one hand and his cup with the other, starting to carry it to the trash can. Felix followed close on his heel.

“Go for him, bro. You two are the only ones that matter in this decision. I think the bigger mistake will be if you don’t take a chance.” he finished, patting Link’s shoulder one last time before going the opposite way to his class. Link set his tray on top of the others, sipping his mocha and getting out his nervous jitters as he started briskly walking past other kids. At some point, he passed Mark and Ro slowly making their way down the hall together, Ro hooked on Mark’s arm as they watched each other all dreamily. Mark was looking pale as of late. For once, Link grinned warmly at Mark and Mark reciprocated.

Link passed the stairwell, even though his class was upstairs. He knew Rhett’s woodworking class was on this floor on the other side of the school, and if Rhett was helping Mr. Parker, Rhett would already be halfway to his classroom. Link started walking faster.

When Rhett’s tall figure came (easily) into view, Link broke into a jog to get to him before Rhett entered the classroom. “Rhett!” he called, a big grin plastered on his face. Rhett looked back, still flustered as ever, but looked less nervous upon seeing Link’s expression.

“Link!” Rhett called back in the same tone, turning to face him. Others glanced back at the two, more so when Link threw his arms around Rhett in a tight hug, almost spilling his espresso.

“Yes! I don’t know what else you’d thought I’d say! Yes, man!” he exclaimed, even though his heart wanted to leap out of his throat and he was trembling with anxiety. Rhett’s big warm arms squeezed around him, his chin resting on Link’s shoulder and tickling his neck. 

“Gay!” someone shouted and the hallway erupted into loud, mocking laughs. Link’s heart dropped and a cold spell washed over him, dread filling him from head to toe. This time, Rhett held him tighter.

“Yeah, and I’m still gettin’ more ass than you, Turner,” Rhett called back, leaving Link to practically drop his jaw on the floor. The kids in the hall laughed harder, and not a comment more was said in regards to it. Link could not believe those words had just left Rhett’s mouth. He couldn’t stop smiling. “You don’t pay them mind, sweetpea.” Rhett whispered to Link. “We gonna have a great time.”

Link closed his eyes and inhaled Rhett’s scent. He still smelt like strawberries, with that earthy, woody twist. As they parted, Link thought to himself with a delighted grin, _What have I done?_


	25. xxv

“Y’all look so handsome tonight,” Mama Di cooed, snapping another picture of the two boys. Rhett scratched at his chinstrap. It was admittedly weird seeing Rhett with a lack of beard and nothing but that miniscule little chinstrap, but Link still thought he was extremely handsome. He’d forgotten Rhett had a beauty mark.

Link still didn’t understand why Rhett was wearing a tailcoat. He would’ve opted not to do it, as he himself was wearing a normal tux, but the tailcoat didn’t deter from the fact that his heart swelled whenever he looked at Rhett. Rather than sloppily throwing their hair up as they typically did, Mama Di had helped them style it in some charming vintage way.

“Where are your boutonnieres? Y’all didn’t forget the boutonnieres, did you?” Mr. McLaughlin asked, sipping his beer as he did so. Link noticed Rhett blush, which was even more obvious without his scruffy beard to hide it.

“We gonna pick ‘em up when we pick up our dates.” he answered, even if it wasn’t the complete truth. Sure, they were gonna get their boutonnieres, but they already had their dates. Not that Rhett’s parents had to know.

“Go! Go pick them up! You’re gonna be late!” Mama Di giggled, shooing the boys out the door. Mr. McLaughlin and Mama Di watched as Rhett and Link carefully got into Rhett’s pickup. After struggling to start it up for a minute or two, Rhett started pulling out of the driveway and onto the street. 

Link’s heart hadn’t stopped racing since he woke up that day. Prom had never really been a big deal for him, but now, prom seemed like everything. He was trembling, nervous as ever. “I would hold your hand,” Rhett said suddenly, causing Link to flinch, “but y’know. Stick shift.”

“That’s okay.” Link dismissed, laughing nervously at Rhett. For once, it seemed like the ride into Macon took no time at all. Link hoped the rest of the night wouldn’t go so fast. He played with his sleeves, pinching and squeezing, feeling on top of the world but ready to explode all at once.

Link was unnecessarily excited about their boutonnieres. Rhett had let Link pick them out, and Link had decided on gardenias, with the knowledge that gardenias represented secret love. He hadn’t told Rhett or anyone else, simply kept it to himself. He decided he was going to continue keeping it to himself as they got out of the truck and started walking into the flower shop. Rhett reached for Link’s hand.

“I hope this is okay.” he said softly, his palm sweaty. Link laced their fingers together, not paying any mind to the clamminess. He peered up at Rhett. 

“You nervous, man?” Link asked, giving Rhett a lopsided smile. Rhett blushed, dipping his head down as he opened the door for them. 

“I’d say a little more so than that.” laughed Rhett, guiding Link towards the counter. Link followed close, keeping in stride with his long legs and never once looking away from his face. The more he stared at the chinstrap, the more he fell in love with it.

The florist helped show the two how to put the boutonnieres on each other, then complimented them on how handsome they were. Despite the fact they were holding hands like lovers, the florist made a comment about how they were going to make a couple ladies very happy tonight. They shrugged it off, made their way to prom still feeling on cloud nine.

On the way in, they were informed they barely made it in time for the announcement of the prom king and queen. Their hands had long since parted, so this time, Link just grabbed Rhett’s arm and hooked them together. He followed him down to the gym, where the prom was being held. His eyes had to adjust to the lighting of the room, which vaguely reminded him of the lighting that had been at the roller rink. The entire gym was silent, a large space cleared out in the middle. On the other side of the room stood the court, and the nominees, as one of the supervisors opened an envelope. Link could see Mark and Ro standing up with the other nominees, watching the supervisor anxiously.

“The 2017 prom king and queen are… Mark Fischbach and Rosanna Pansino! Congratulations!” the supervisor announced, just as Rhett and Link finally stood still in a spot. Applause erupted throughout the gymnasium. Ro immediately squealed in delight and rushed to Mark, throwing her arms around him. He winced a little bit, but nevertheless held her tightly and dipped her down in a kiss. Link was happy for them. Regardless of everything, he’d voted for Mark for prom king.

Link wasn’t exactly sure what to do, this being his first prom and all, so he quietly clung to Rhett’s arm. His eyes followed as Mark guided Ro to the centre of the open space, then turned to face her. Both of their faces were shining. Keep You by Sugarland started to play, and Mark held her in the gentlest of ways, Ro returning it. Link realised Mark had gotten skinnier since they first met. He dismissed it as the lighting and the angle.

Ro seemed to glide across the floor, watching Mark with stars twinkling in her eyes. Mark returned her the same look, unable to stop grinning. As the song progressed further, Link could see the tears gather in Ro’s eyes, then start to pour out like a waterfall. Mark chuckled quietly and carefully pulled her head to his chest, rocking her around. Link thought he could see tears glittering in Mark’s eyes as well. He knitted his brows together.

When the dance was over, there was another applause, and Ro was swept out of the gym with other girls, presumably to help fix her makeup. A happier song came on and the spot in the middle of the gym was taken up by everyone. Things seemed less crowded, even with everyone now dancing, but Link was still a little lost. Rhett tapped his arm.

“You want some punch or somethin’?” he asked over the music, perking his brows. Link bit his lip, nodding and deciding to follow Rhett over to the punch table. Felix was already lingering there, standing there and eating an obscene amount of cookies. His eyes lit up when he saw Rhett and Link.

“Hey! Glad you guys decided to come together,” he remarked, shoving a cookie in his mouth. Rhett beamed, starting to scoop in punch for Link. “I only recognised you because of your height, Rhett.”

“Thanks.” Rhett snorted, passing the cup to Link before getting himself one. Link glanced Rhett up and down for the thousandth time that night, once again thinking to himself how attractive he was.

“Stevie and her girlfriend went to go check on Ro.” Felix informed, not that anybody had asked. Though Link was somewhat surprised to hear the girlfriend part of that, he decided not to make a comment. Rhett stood up straight next to Link, taking a sip of his punch. Link’s hand was itching to grab Rhett’s.

“What was with Ro? She just started like, hysterically sobbing in the middle of their first dance.” Rhett asked, even though the end part was obvious. Felix shrugged his shoulders, folding his arms across his chest.

“I really have no idea. The song was kinda sad, though, and she did just win prom queen, so she might’ve been overwhelmed with joy.” Felix pointed out, lifting his brows. Rhett nodded. “Chase is over talking to Mark right now, so I’m just kinda bein’ awkward right now.”

“I don’t really know what to do, otherwise I’d do it.” Link laughed weakly, casting his gaze up at Rhett. Rhett moved to card his fingers through his hair before he remembered it was all styled, then lowered his arm and placed it around Link’s shoulders instead.

“So are you two like, officially a couple now? That’s kinda been the rumour since you decided to go to prom together.” Felix had to ask. Rhett and Link stared at each other, both blushing softly. Link was the first to dip his head down, unsure of how to respond.

“Can’t really answer that, man.” Rhett snickered bashfully. “I don’t really think so. I-I don’t know though.”

Link felt almost offended, but wasn’t about to let that on. “Well, Rhett,” he began in his stern voice, “you kinda asked me to prom and told a jackass in the hall you were gettin’ more ass than him when he called us gay. I think I’m kinda ready for a discussion on it.”

Felix laughed, but it was more nervous toward the end. He tipped his head at Rhett. “You really said that, bro?” he questioned, still chuckling from it. Rhett blushed again, smirking.

“I really did.” he noted, then looked down at Link. “Sorry, brother. I don’t… really know what to say.”

“Is calling me ‘brother’ your version of ‘no homo,’ Rhett?” Link quipped. Felix only started laughing harder. Link wasn’t intending to embarrass Rhett, but he was a little cross that Rhett had gone as far as to ask him to prom and this was still something that was up in the air. Especially considering they had kissed once, and held hands all the time.

“Sorry.” Rhett mumbled, and Link could hardly hear him say it. Link leaned into Rhett’s side, trying to dismiss the fact he was now miffed. Rhett took another drink of his punch, so Link did as well.

Link glanced over his shoulder, scouting the room once more. He couldn’t help but feel a little bit disappointment. His whole life, he had been told stories of how magical prom was, how girls were twirled around under spotlights while a band played in the back, the feelings of bliss crashing down hard in waves and going back up in soft breezes. So far, it was just the “DJ” (probably some forty year old who couldn’t land a gig elsewhere and just played from a premium Spotify playlist) blaring songs much too loudly, humidity from so many people making his clothes itch on his skin, and the sensation of his temples throbbing in beat to the bass.

Felix noticed Chase wave him over to Mark, to which he grinned at him and left without a word more. Rhett and Link backed away to the sidelines as the second song of the night faded off into something else. Link’s mouth curled downwards into a frown. He patted the bottom of his boutonniere, just to confirm it was still okay.

“This isn’t quite what I expected it to be,” Link commented, tilting his head up at Rhett. Rhett put his hands in his pockets, looking way down at Link. He smirked.

“Yeah, me neither. We’re maybe fifteen minutes in and I’m already pretty bored.” he agreed. He didn’t really seemed to be very affected by the comments made not long before that anymore. Link gnawed his lip. He was beginning to feel a little bad for getting snippy. “At least we look nice.”

Link nodded his head in agreement. He wasn’t about to overstep his boundary more than he felt he had. He looked down into his cup, swirled the punch around. Talking to Rhett was typically one of the easiest things in the world, yet now he couldn’t seem to find a word in his vocabulary. He cleared his throat, brought up the first thing that came to mind. “Do you know what the theme was for the prom? I can’t remember.”

“I dunno, but I think she seems to think the theme is ‘Antebellum Era,’” Rhett giggled quietly to Link. Link glanced up at him, puzzled, but then redirected his attention to the girl Rhett had nodded his head to. He had to do a triple take, blinked his eyes rapidly to full process it. Her blonde hair was crimped, her ballroom dress large and pink. Link couldn’t decide what was bigger: her hair or the bow on the front of the dress. He didn’t recognise her, but he did have to refrain from laughing.

When the two realised she was walking towards them, Rhett had to give Link a playful slap on the arm to make sure he composed himself. “Would one of y’all like to dance?” she asked in a cutesy way, swaying lightly as she watched them. Link gave her a tight smile, his heart pounding. He glanced up at Rhett, sort of assuming he would accept. 

“Ah, shoot. I’m sorry. I’ve already got a date.” Rhett declined, and while it shouldn’t have surprised Link, Link was so delusional about Rhett’s feelings for him that he was startled. The girl looked at Link expectantly. With his lips parted, Link babbled out a response.

“So do I.” he said, finding his smile. The girl placed her hands on her hips, giving the two boys a somewhat intense look that made Link feel uneasy. Rhett looked as cool as a cucumber.

“And y’all ain’t with them?” she interrogated, scoffing in disgust at them. Link watched as Rhett lifted a brow. Rhett pulled a hand out of his pockets, then reached down and gently took Link’s into his own. Link’s heart soared and he clenched Rhett’s in return.

“Well, he’s right here. I’m with him.” Rhett reassured, not unkindly. This time, the girl looked startled. She huffed before scurrying off, probably to ask some other lad to dance with her. Link grinned from ear to ear up at Rhett. It seemed that Rhett had recognised his mistake, as Link had recognised his own. Rhett winked at him, then lifted his hand and kissed the top of it. 

The next hour went by relatively slowly. They danced casually to Pictures of You by The Cure with Felix, Chase, and Jen, but the vast majority of the night was spent standing by the wall, sipping punch, talking about dreams. At some point, they’d had their prom photo taken (something Rhett paid for out of pocket), earning a confused look from the photographer, but that was all. A couple other girls had asked them to dance, to which they both respectfully declined and offered each other that gushy look shortly after.

All in all, Link still didn’t understand what the hype of prom was. His tux was uncomfortable, and while he thought that Rhett was easy on the eyes, he always thought Rhett was easy on the eyes. He was ignoring the headache he’d had since the second song of the night, and he was sure he’d consumed at least half of the punch.

Only the first two notes had to play before Link knew exactly what song it was. Rhett had ran off to get more punch when it started, leaving Link to sit there fidgeting, excited to tell Rhett exactly what song had come on despite the knowledge that he knew Rhett would already know exactly what song had come on.

Link watched as Rhett jogged back over to him, spilling a little punch over the edge of the rim. He bent down and set it on the ground, slightly out of breath as he held out his hand to Link. “Can I… can I have this dance, sir?” he panted, smiling shyly. Link laughed gently, placing his cup on the ground before taking Rhett’s hand.

“Duh.” he answered in the way he always did, but they both chuckled and Rhett began leading Link to the dance floor. 

Rhett wrapped his arms around Link’s waist, muttered something about a, “Sorry, my slow dance skills are lacking,” that Link dismissed while he rested his arms around Rhett’s neck. His eyes locked with Rhett’s, and even though at first it was hard to refrain from looking at his cute little beauty mark, it got easier to get lost in Rhett’s eyes (not that it was ever hard).

“Stuck on you, I’ve got this feeling down deep in my soul that I just can’t lose. Guess I’m on my way,” Rhett faintly sang to Link, a tiny little smile on his mouth all the while. Link giggled, daring to rest his head on Rhett’s chest after a moment. He could smell his boutonniere, which caused him to smile to himself.

His eyes danced across the room and he realised that Felix was right. Nobody cared that he and Rhett were dancing together. They were all too focused on their dates to pay them any mind. Link could feel himself ease, and he closed his eyes, letting himself sway with Rhett to the song above. He felt Rhett rest his chin atop his head.

About halfway through the song, Link lifted his head back up and met Rhett’s stare again. Rhett had a relaxed glint in his eyes, peering at Link in a way that made Link feel like he was the most beautiful thing in the universe. 

At the same time, they leaned into each other. Link’s glasses bumped into Rhett, but neither paid it mind as his lips locked with Rhett’s. This time, Rhett’s lips tasted of fruit punch, and Link couldn’t feel Rhett’s facial hair tickling him as bad as last time. His fingers glided through Rhett’s hair. Before they could part, Link leaned in for one more.

As they retracted their faces, Link noticed that Rhett’s boutonniere was a little bit bruised. His nose bumped Rhett’s lightly. He was on his toes still, which was uncomfortable, but was nothing more than a minor inconvenience to him at the moment. “Can we get out of here? I’m hot and sticky and the noise is hurtin’ my ears,” he mumbled against Rhett’s lips. He could feel Rhett’s smile.

“Sure we can, dumplin’,” Rhett agreed, deciding to peck Link once more before slowly pulling away from him. He reached down for Link’s hand, curling their fingers together. He guided him to the exit, forgetting about their abandoned punch. 

Link glanced over his shoulder to the rest of the couples. He noted that there still wasn’t a person who cared about what just happened. Suddenly, Link could kind of understand why everyone romanticised prom in the way they did.

Rhett held open the door for Link, and Link felt relief as the cool night air kissed his cheeks. He glanced back at Rhett, smiling tenderly at him as they wrapped their arms around each other and walked as slowly as possible to his old pickup. Link could still faintly hear Stuck On You playing from the inside.


	26. xxvi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: disease mention, anxiety

Mr. McLaughlin turned to face Link before he stepped out the door. He glanced around, then directly at Link. He leaned slightly toward him. “Can you keep an eye on Mark?” he asked in a hushed tone, peeking over his shoulder. 

Link perked a brow as he looked up from his book. Mark was sixteen. He didn’t need a babysitter while the McLaughlin’s went out for appointments. “What for?” he returned, somewhat alarmed. He leaned towards Mr. McLaughlin. “Are you… are you worried about him stealing stuff?”

“No! No, ‘course not. Mark’s a good boy.” Mr. McLaughlin reassured, smiling. It didn’t take long before his smile faded. “Just do it, please?”

“Sure.” Link agreed, closing his book on his bookmark. Mr. McLaughlin tipped his head to Link, then backed out the door and gently shut it. Not long after, he could hear the engine to Mr. McLaughlin’s pickup start up and start to pull out of the drive. He opened his book again.

Not ten minutes after the McLaughlin’s left, Link could hear the kitchen door slide open. He thought he could hear someone say his name, but paid it no mind. He flipped the page, painting vivid imagery of dragons and feasts in his head. It came again, this time louder and more filled with pain. Link’s heart skipped a beat and he dropped his book, darting to his feet and skidding into the kitchen.

Mark was clinging to the side of the door, skin as white as the tiles of the floor. He was quivering in a way that made it seem like he was freezing, despite the fact it was somewhere in the upper sixties. Link rushed to his side, the colour leaving his face and dread filling his gut. He threw his arm around Mark, to which Mark flinched and whimpered out, “Fuck, ow, ow!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Link babbled frantically, loosening his grip on Mark. Mark dropped his weight onto him. “Let me bring you to the couch.”

“Thank you,” Mark managed to grin through his panting. Link was horrified. He guided Mark into the living room, helping him lower onto the edge of the couch. Mark finally took a deep breath as he sunk into the cushions, licking his lips. Link suddenly noticed how chapped Mark’s lips were. Mark looked up at him, fatigued. “Do you… do you think you could get me a drink, Link?”

“Sure thing, man.” Link answered without hesitation, practically jogging into the kitchen. His hand was lightly trembling as he filled a glass with ice, then went to the sink and filled it with cold water. He knew Mark had been acting more and more off, but he had never seen happy-go-lucky Mark like that.

Link carried the cup back to the younger boy, passed it to him and hesitantly sat about a foot away. Mark lifted the glass to his lips and drank like he hadn’t tasted water in days. Link opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but he couldn’t formulate any words in his throat. A couple minutes after Mark had stopped drinking, he seemed to be recovering from whatever it was that had just happened. He beamed brightly at Link.

“Thanks. I’m okay!” he insisted, taking another deep breath. Link struggled to believe that, but decided he wasn’t going to press it. If Mark said he was okay, Link had no reason to distrust him. Link turned his head away from Mark, pondering everything that had just happened. “What’re you reading?”

“A Song of Ice and Fire. The third one.” he answered after a moment, peeking over at Mark. Mark’s brown eyes shone, despite the fact he looked so fragile sitting there. Link attempted to shrug it off.

“Oh man, that’s such an awesome series! I’m only on the second book, though, at the beginning.” Mark returned, shifting his position on the couch. Link couldn’t believe how nice Mark was, how friendly and cheerful he was even though he looked like he was about to faint just minutes beforehand. “Do you have a favourite character?”

“Yeah. Arya’s been my favourite since I picked up the first book,” Link smirked, nodding. His eyes flicked over Mark. “You?”

“You remind me of Arya, so it’s appropriate that she’s your favourite! I really like Sam. He’s my favourite. I see a lot of myself in him, except for the shyness. Sam is like, a mix of me and Tom.” Mark noted, sitting up and getting himself into an engaged position. Link let his hands rest limply in his lap.

“I can see that, yeah.” he agreed, nodding his head. He bit his lip lightly. “How do I remind you of Arya?”

“Oh, that’s easy.” Mark answered immediately, snickering. “You’re both very passionate and strong willed, independent, smart... when you want something, you go for it. In the time I’ve known you, that’s something that I’ve admired about you from afar.”

Link at least had the grace to blush. “Really…?” he asked, unsure of what else to say. Mark snorted, nodding his head and taking a quick sip of his water.

“Oh, yeah.” Mark laughed. “I hear so many good things about you. You’re pretty much the only thing Rhett talks about. If he’s not talking about you, he’s talking about the things you guys do. Like, he showed me your little pilot video from the end of video production. It was awesome. I was laughing the entire time. If you guys made it a real morning show, I would seriously watch it every single morning.”

“I feel terrible,” Link blurted out. Mark blinked a couple times in a row, shocked by the comment. Link dipped his head down in shame. “I-I’ve been so jealous of you, Mark. I’m sorry I’ve given you such a cold shoulder. I’m really insecure in myself, and we have a lot in common, and I just got scared… Rhett would…”

“Replace you?” Mark finished, lightly draping his arm around the back of the couch. Link noticed a big ugly bruise on Mark’s arm, but quickly looked away. He nodded. “It’s okay, Link. I kinda figured that was what’s up. I’ve never taken it personally, ‘cause I know how being scared of being abandoned feels, and I know you’ve been through a lot. But trust me, I would never replace you in Rhett’s eyes. Nobody would.”

Link tilted his head up, watching Mark in surprise. “...you know how that feels? But you already have a girlfriend and you’ve only been here for like, two months. Everybody adores you. Mark, people voted you prom king and you’ve only been here two months. Two.”

Mark gave Link a somewhat saddened smile and Link knew he should’ve thought before he spoke. “That’s where being positive gets you,” he chuckled. He sipped at his drink again. “When I was still really little, my mom and dad split. After that, my dad moved me and Tom out to Los Angeles. My mom doesn’t really call often.”

Link swore he could feel a chill descend his spine. He stared at Mark like a deer in headlights, his brows slowly arching upwards. He knew that feeling, exactly. Mark caught his stare, his grin expanding the slightest.

“Los Angeles is your kinda city, Link. Trust me on this. I, honest to God, think that you and Rhett would thrive there--together. What you two have is really special. Please don’t let that slip through your fingers. Promise me, Link,” Mark requested, stare gentle and warm. Link fidgeted on his spot on the couch, wondering to himself what was getting into Mark.

“I… I-I promise.” Link uttered out, a little unsure of where this was going. This time, Mark was the first one to break eye contact. He looked down to his hands. 

“If you ever get the chance to make it out to Los Angeles, you should. I think Macon is a good place for me right now, but… it’s not for you and Rhett. I know how Rhett feels about you, Link, and I kinda get the vibe you feel the same. I lived in LA for a good portion of my childhood, and you and Rhett are going to fit in like nobody’s business. It was too fast paced for me, but… yeah. You’ve heard my thoughts on it,” Mark chuckled. Link reached up and adjusted his glasses, nervously eyeing the younger boy.

“Why did y’all move out here from LA? That’s so drastic,” Link had to find out. He thought to himself, _Their move from Cincinnati to LA was pretty drastic too._ Link bristled when he watched the way Mark’s expression twisted, like somebody had just stabbed him through the heart. Mark’s sorrowful smile return, and he looked up at Link.

“My dad’s been telling everyone that it’s only because we moved in with his girlfriend,” Mark muttered. Link tilted his head ever-so-slightly away, heart rate picking up. Mark seemed intense. “Hey, Link? You won’t tell anybody else what I’m about to tell you, right? Not even Rhett?”

Link gulped down the lump in his throat.

“I-I mean, Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin know, and so does my family, and Ro, and the teachers, but… I… don’t really want anyone else to hear much about it. It’s… hard, Link.” Mark continued, his eyes dropping down to peer into his water. It was almost gone.

“You have my word,” Link promised. “I won’t tell anyone.”

Mark smiled. “Link,” he said. “I have cancer.”

The room was so silent that Link swore he could hear his heart drop right there. His mouth felt dry, his eyes as round as saucers as he gaped at Mark. He could hardly believe Mark trusted him with something so personal. He could hardly believe that Mark was going through it at all.

“I’m… not doing so good, Link,” Mark confessed, voice turning teary at the end. Link could see a drop of water drip from Mark’s face down on his cup. “When we found out, just a little bit before we moved out here, my dad… he wanted to put me on chemo… I… I don’t want him to go in debt because of my medical bills. It was a big argument, but… he respected my wishes. He asked me what I wanted to do in life. I told him I wanted to do things I’d never gotten the chance to do. Well, ranching was something I’d never done, and his girlfriend only lives fifteen minutes away.”

Link suddenly realised in full force why Mark was opening up to him, giving him the advice that he did. He released the breath he didn’t even realise he was holding. “M-Mark… Mark, how… how are you still…?”

“I don’t know,” Mark answered honestly, giving a weak laugh. “It’s coming. Any day now. I keep telling my dad and brother that I’m not scared, Link, b-but I really am. Just a little, though. I’m just holding on for another sunrise.”

Link hadn’t even noticed that he’d started to snivel. He covered his mouth, trying to act like he was just fine. He averted his gaze. He couldn’t find words if his life depended on it.

“It’s caused a rift. The people that find out don’t see me as anything but the cancer anymore. They treat it like a countdown. My dad called me selfish at first for not wanting on chemo. I don’t want my life to be a burden on my family. They’re already struggling enough as it is, dude… I-I know it’s curable, I know… I don’t know what to do…” Mark whimpered, his lower lip wobbling. Link sucked up his tears, reaching over and placing a comforting hand on Mark’s shoulder.

“I respect your decision, Mark.” he murmured. “Do what you feel is right. You deserve to spend your final days being happy with the person you are. My God, Mark, you’re a saint.”

Mark had to laugh at the last part. He appeared at ease from Link’s validation, shooting his trademark grin in the older boy’s direction. “You think so?”

“I know.” Link insisted. Mark reached up and swiftly wiped at his tears. Link patted his shoulder, softer than he normally would. His eyes flicked down to Mark’s cup, practically empty. He shifted in his spot. “Do you want me to refill it?” he asked. Mark looked up, warmly extending the cup. He nodded.

“If you could?” he asked in return, and Link took the glass from him and began to stand up. Mark smirked. “You are the water dancer, after all.”

“Of course,” Link couldn’t help but chuckle, returning to the kitchen to pour Mark another glass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i tried my best to tag the cw appropriately while also not completely spoiling it. id also like to note that i purposely didnt pick a specific strain, to leave it up to interpretation (initially i was going to, but i felt it would be better to leave this in particular slightly open-ended). four more chapters after this. thanks for sticking around for this crazy ride this far, yall. i love you all xoxo


	27. xxvii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: alcohol mention, drugs mention, death mention

Pomp and Circumstance was echoing throughout the gymnasium. Link released a shuddery breath and looked up at Rhett. Rhett was grinning excitedly, as he had been the entire day. Tom was standing a few rows ahead of them, next to someone Link couldn’t safely say he knew. He hadn’t realised just how big the senior class was until they were standing there in the hall, getting ready to march by twos into the gym. He tapped the papers in his hand.

When the line started to move, the real anxiety began to kick in for Link. Since he started high school, he never really believed that he would ever finish high school, let alone be voted a senior speaker of his class. Walking through the hallway and into the room he was graduating in felt absolutely surreal.

The seats for the seniors were being filled up by the second. While they walked down the aisle, he could see Mark in the distance, playing his trumpet with the rest of the band. He made sure Mark caught the proud smile he was sending his way, then turned to walk down his row and take a seat.

Rhett reached over and took Link’s hand as they waited for the rest of the seniors to file into their seats. Link turned his head and looked at Rhett’s face. Rhett had decided to keep the chinstrap for graduation, but had allowed it to grow out a little to obtain a scruffier look. “You lookin’ good, McLaughlin,” Link commented, for the hundredth time that day.

“You lookin’ better, Neal,” Rhett returned, for the hundredth time that day.

Around fifteen minutes later, everyone was situated and Pomp and Circumstance came to an end. There was a long applause, and the senior class president and vice president introduced themselves. The gym was lead into the Pledge, then to listening to the national anthem. When it was all said and done, the principal announced, “You may be seated.” and things finally began.

After everyone was in their seats, the principal grinned and leaned towards the microphone. “Good morning, and welcome to the 2017 Macon High School graduation commencement. I’d like to welcome family, friends, guardian members, anybody that came to support the graduates today. My name is Keith Vernon, I’m the principal of Macon High School.”

He began to list off the names of the faculty, school board, names, names, names. Link couldn’t get his mind to stop racing. He could hardly focus on what Mr. Vernon was prattling on about. All he could think about was that he, Charles Lincoln Neal III, was about to graduate from high school. 

A five gruelling minutes of naming people off later, and Mr. Vernon called the valedictorian up to give her speech. Link focused enough to recall the order of events after the valedictorian’s speech. Next, the salutatorian would speak, then the senior class president, then the senior class vice president, and finally, him, the senior speaker. It would take about forty five minutes in total. Link squeezed Rhett’s hand tightly, unable to calm his nerves. Rhett smiled lovingly at him.

By the time the senior class president started to talk, Link was confident that his speech was going to blow the rest of them out of the water. So far, the others had practically bored people to tears (and Link had noticed the guy sitting next to him dozing off). Link had been expecting graduation to be pretty boring in general. Before he’d sorta given up in Buies Creek, he had once been in Mark’s place, playing Pomp and Circumstance on the trumpet and sitting in the sidelines watching people he hardly knew or cared about experience one of the best days of their life.

Link kept that in mind when Mr. Vernon finally called him up on the stage.

Applause filled his ears again as he stood up and began making his way up. He noticed some slightly confused glances as Rhett followed behind him, but Link kept his stare ahead of him and found that he couldn’t stop smiling. As Link ascended the stage, Rhett paused for Ro to jog his guitar to him, then scurry back to sit in the audience while Rhett caught up to Link. Rhett sat down on one of the chairs onstage, holding his guitar and watching Link with pride glittering in his eyes. Link stepped up to the podium, heart pounding in his ears as the clapping died down and he placed his sheets on the surface.

“Uh… what year is it?” Link asked into the microphone, his heart fluttering when he immediately heard laughter echo throughout the gymnasium. He allowed it to quiet down before he resumed. “The fact that _I_ have been asked to deliver a commencement address today should give you hope.”

There was more laughter, and Link had never felt more proud of himself than he did in that moment. He cleared his throat softly.

“I know that it certainly gives _me_ hope,” he followed up, smiling to himself. “You know, the years that I have been in high school, I didn’t even think that I was going to get this far to begin with. That isn’t to say I was a troublemaker. I was _the_ troublemaker. You named it, I did it. The fact I was invited up here to give y’all a speech in spite of the fact that this time last year, I was almost made a convicted felon, should also give you hope.”

This time, there was dead silence that followed that statement. Link flicked his tongue over his lips, grasping the side of the podium lightly.

“That’s right. Honours student and senior speaker Link Neal was almost a convicted felon. Middle and high school has been some of the worst years of my life. I failed a lot of classes, never had an actual summer to have fun ‘cause I was in summer school. I did a lot of those things that DARE warned us about. My friends did hard drugs, I drank a lot of booze. I was over at one of their houses once, and they were sittin’ around on the couch doin’ their thing, while I sat around in the corner and drank. My wake up call was seeing flames grow all around me, and I narrowly escaped with my life. A couple other people weren’t so lucky. It had been an accident that got out of control, but because of my record, I almost found myself in prison as a sixteen year old. I was found innocent, but that damage had been done. I was sent out here to make myself a better person, and that’s what I’ve been doing. Well, Class of 2017, by being a high school graduate, that has drastically decreased our chances--mine _and_ yours--of spending our lives in prison.”

Link smirked as his comment, which signalled the rest of the gym it was now okay to giggle. He looked around the audience, fully realising that he was in front of well over a thousand people. He thought he could see Mama Di and Mr. McLaughlin out there, recording him. He could feel himself blush. He glanced down briefly to his papers.

“This last year of my high school career, I became determined to become what many people said was impossible for me, and that was to become successful. I was taught that being successful meant getting good grades, having great friends, and being a role model. What I wasn’t taught was that being successful has a different meaning for every person, and my idea of success was to find true acceptance of myself, like many of you. Despite everything, I think I’m just about there.”

He reached up and adjusted the glasses on his face. He could feel the tassel from his graduation cap tickling his cheek.

“To the other troubled kids out there that are like me, I want you to know that I know how you’re feeling. I’ve been there too. So you know, that when there’s nobody else out there that believes in you, I believe in you. You can do it. It’s never too late for you to turn yourself around, for any reason. It’ll seem a lot harder now then when you’re standing here on your graduation day.”

Link took a deep breath, shifting his weight from one foot to the other and releasing the podium. He gazed out to all his peers, observing all of their faces individually.

“It takes a lot of teamwork to survive high school. It also takes a lot of coffee, but I think a lot of y’all already knew that.” He paused again, feeling himself relax a little more at the giggles that followed. “Every single problem I’ve overcome, it has been either with or because of someone else. It didn’t matter if it was my lab partner taking the wrong vial out of my hand at the last second before chaos erupted--and I _do_ mean erupt--or I was going through a mentally hard time, there was always somebody there for me when I needed it. To grow, you need help, and you need to give help, too.

These are the life skills that we’ve learnt in the past four years, things that are going to carry with us to whichever path we choose next. So, what _is_ next? For some, it’s going to college, others are going into the military, or going to work, or a thousand other things. That’s what is so important about today. Today is the start of the next chapter of our lives: adulthood. If you’re like me, you still don’t know what the first thing about being an adult is. Taxes? Scheduling appointments without your mom? I have no idea. If you do, I think me and my graduating class would be greatly appreciative if you spoke up now.”

Link was delighted to be able to visibly see how much people were enjoying his speech thus far. For once, he didn’t feel that he was receiving judging stares or having snarky remarks made about him. He found that he actually felt confident.

“There are two things I’ve learnt in high school, and still remember. Firstly, I learnt that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. Secondly, I learnt that life is what you make it. I have advice for you. Do not spend the next for years of your life pursuing an education or career that fulfills someone else’s expectations of you. Instead, figure out what it is you like to do and what you’re good at, and if you can get paid for it, do it. You never know when life is going to end. Don’t waste it.” he glanced back at Rhett a couple times, then back out to the crowd. “Following that advice, Rhett and I found what it is we like to do, something we’re good at and can probably get paid for. So we wrote a song for our graduating class, and all graduating classes after that. Congratulations, Class of 2017. We made it.”

As people began to cheer, Rhett grinned and walked up to the podium with his guitar. As he got adjusted, strummed it a couple times to warm up, Link got the microphones adjusted for them. Rhett shifted in place, then looked down at Link. He grinned. “You ready, Link?”

“Yeah,” Link smiled.

At the same time, they began. “For the past eighteen years, your life’s been pretty smooth. Let’s take a moment and reflect on all you’ve had to do.”

“You’ve rolled out of bed and strolled to the living room, and watched Cartoon Network while your mom made waffles for you.”

“Your laundry was magically clean, and your dad’s back pocket was an ATM machine.”

“Your life’s biggest worry was what to wear to the prom, and your only regret was that incident with the stink bomb. Do you hear that subtle sound?”

“It’s the sound of reality about to slap the taste out yo’ mouth!” Link exclaimed, and there was a brief pause. They glanced at each other, then went into the chorus together.

“Now you’re on your own. You should be scared, but we can tell… you don’t care.”

“Why don’t you care?” Link asked.

“You should be frightened.” Rhett added.

“You’re young and now you’re free, the world is your oyster. We have no clue what that means, but let us paint a picture of your future.”

“You’re gonna eat a lot of Hot Pockets!”

“And you’re thinkin’ that sounds great… well, get back to us in sixth months, when you’ve had three hundred and seventy eight.”

“As soon as you move out, you know what your parents are gonna do: they’re gonna turn your bedroom into an exercise room that they never use.”

“And you won’t use lockers in college.”

“And this might be a total bummer, but there are no yearbooks either, you’ll actually have to say, ‘Have a great summer!’ Do you feel that gentle breeze?”

“It’s the category five hurricane of adulthood about to hit you upside the head with a tree!” Link called out. Once again, there was a pause before they went into the end of the song.

“Now you’re on your own. Don’t screw this up. You’re on your own… good luck.” They stopped, then looked at each other before saying into the microphone, “You’re gonna need it.”

Link waved to the audience as he and Rhett stepped down from the stage, back to their spots. As they sat back down, Mr. Vernon thanked Link for his speech, and proceeded to once more thank everyone for their attendance and what they had done for the graduates over the years. He made the announcement that they had well over two hundred names to call out, and the first row began to stand and get ready to walk. 

Even though it had taken the upside of an hour for him to finally be called up, Link’s enthusiasm hadn’t died. He was grinning from ear to ear the entire time he shook hands with several people, clenching his diploma tightly and accepting a flower with pride. His cheeks hurt by the time his picture was taken and he returned to his seat. He made sure to pay extra attention when Rhett received his diploma.

It took around twenty more minutes for the rest of the students to be called up, and once it was done, the room erupted in cheers and applause. “It’s now time,” Mr. Vernon called after everyone was seated. “Seniors, please stand.”

Rhett and Link left their diplomas and flowers in their seats as they stood together, hand in hand, with the rest of their class.

“Seniors, of the class of 2017, congratulations.” Mr. Vernon announced. Link looked up at Rhett, noticed Rhett was crying of joy. “Please move your tassels from the right to the left.”

Using their free hands, they followed the instructions, then peered at each other like they were the only people in the room. The band began to play the alma mater. Link lifted his and Rhett’s arms into the air, to which Rhett laughed, and began swaying them back and forth for the duration of it. Right after it ended, they removed their hats, and all the seniors tossed them into the air. As Link watched his hat fly up towards the ceiling, he grinned from ear to ear as Rhett bent down gave him a sloppy kiss on the mouth.


	28. xxviii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: death mention

Though it was Link’s turn to sit on the larger boulder, he couldn’t find anything to say. He stared out at the rolling green hills before them, sprinkled with brush and foliage and green trees. The sky was pink, giving everything an orange hue. Birds chirped in the distance.

The funeral was yesterday. Mr. Fischbach wasn’t doing so well. Many people criticised him for not forcing Mark to take therapy, and he gave no response to it. His eyes were just fixed on the casket the whole time, dry and blank. 

Link turned his head to look over at Rhett, wondering if Rhett was going to say something instead. He decided that it was unlikely, as they had been sitting there and watching the sunset for the past hour without so much as a word said. There hadn’t really been much of anything said since yesterday.

He was wrong. “We told him,” Rhett finally whispered. “We told him that he needed to go to the doctor. He refused.”

Link dropped his gaze down from Rhett. Rhett began to weep all over again, burying his face in his hands. Link moved from his spot and sat close to Rhett, wrapping his arm around him and pulling him closer. 

It had been the upside of a fortnight since Mark’s death. Link still wasn’t sure why it had taken so long to hold the funeral, but he felt it wasn’t his place to ask. Rhett refused to look at Mark in the viewing. Link had and wished he hadn’t. When he thought of Mark, he didn’t see the colourful, happy, shining face like he used to. All he could see now was Mark’s cold white face, his lips fixed into a permanent smile so small it was hard to see.

“What matters is that he was happy.” Link commented after a quiet, his throat feeling dry. It was true. Tom had mentioned that Mark was playing a video game with his friends from Cincinnati, Bob and Wade, before he died. 

Rhett looked up at him with the ready to argue look on his face. He had been a little touchy since it happened, easily switched from fake overenthusiastic happiness to ready to cry and say snippy things. He was getting better, but the funeral reawoke grief. Link’s grief was more minor than Rhett’s, simply because he had anticipated it for awhile, coped with it differently. 

“He’s gone, Link. He’s gone for good.” Rhett croaked, burying his face in Link for comfort. Link delivered as he carded his fingers through Rhett’s hair.

“But he’s not suffering,” Link pointed out. He knew that didn’t make it hurt any less, but he hoped it dulled the pain. Rhett shook his head against Link, and Link could feel the pool of wetness gather on his shirt. Link’s heart ached. He cast his gaze out to the setting sun in the distance. The sun rose in the east and sat in the west. 

Link recalled some of the last words Mark had said to him. He could finally see Mark’s smile again, hear Mark’s voice saying, “Now go west.”

Link remembered that it was his turn to sit on the larger boulder, to talk about their future. He intended to utilise the privilege. He gently tipped Rhett’s head up towards him. “He wanted us to live our lives, not linger on his,” he said quietly, trying to transition to what he wanted to say while trying to be sensitive at the same time.

Rhett wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around Link. “I wish he would’ve gone to the doctor,” he cried. “So we could’ve known, so he could have treatment.”

Guilt gnawed away at Link. For a fleeting moment, Link wanted to clam up, not say a word more like he used to, but Link decided that it was time to grow up. It was time to talk. Mark had made him promise not to tell anybody about it, but Mark was now gone. Mark had also told Link not to let what he had with Rhett slip through his fingers. Honesty was key to any relationship, and the grief process, Link knew, was something that could make-or-break anything. Link took a deep breath. 

It was high time to open up.

“He didn’t want to go to the doctor, Rhett.” Link revealed in a gentle tone, to which Rhett immediately looked up at him. “He had reasons, but he was happy. It never stopped him.”

“Are you telling me you knew about this?” Rhett asked in disbelief, leaning back. Link could feel Rhett’s grip slack. He nodded his head hesitantly, deciding that he was hellbent on resolving it, not shying away from conflict. “He knew and refused treatment? You knew and didn’t tell anybody? You didn’t even tell me?”

“He didn’t want me to tell anybody else. He only wanted his family to know.” Link answered in his gentlest tone. That bitterness flared up in Rhett, but he didn’t release Link.

“You put him over me?” Rhett asked. Link could hear the hurt in his voice. For a moment, he felt more guilt. It faded into offence that Rhett would even say something like that.

“I respected his wishes is what I did,” Link defended, still using his calm tone. Hesitantly, he lifted his palm and placed it on Rhett’s cheek, relieved when he didn’t retract. “I know it hurts. I know it’s shocking. We’re allowed to grieve, but Mark was… happy. He didn’t want anybody to be sad for him. He didn’t want treatment because he didn’t want his family to deal with the debt of it. Rhett, he was so selfless… I’m just sorry I didn’t realise it for so long.”

Rhett bit his lip to stop it from wobbling, simply staring at Link in silence. Link’s thumb stroked Rhett’s face. He thought to himself how nice it felt to finally be at ease, not so angry all the time, to be healing. Rhett finally nodded his head to Link, uttered out a soft apology for getting short.

Things fell quiet for awhile after that. They had their arms wrapped securely around each other, Rhett with his head rested on Link’s shoulder and Link’s head rested against Rhett’s. Rhett occasionally sniffled, nuzzled closer to Link as they stared at the sunset together. It was almost dark when Rhett finally began to talk.

“I know I’m not sitting on the boulder,” he started, which Link couldn’t help but giggle at. Rhett peeked up at him with a tiny smile. “But it’s been eating away at me, Link. What… what happens now?”

Both sat up straight and turned to look directly at each other. Link lifted his brows. “We move forward.” he answered. Rhett’s eyes glanced downwards briefly, then back up to Link’s eyes.

“Where are you going to go, Link?” he asked, retracing his arms so he could grab Link’s hands. It dawned on Link that through everything that he’d been reflecting on, he hadn’t been considering what he was going to do after graduation anymore. It seemed like forever since he and Rhett talked about it.

“I don’t really know,” he admitted, hanging his head in shame. Rhett’s hands squeezed his. “I really wish that I could tell you, Rhett.”

“Whatever you do… don’t do it without me, okay?” Rhett murmured, pressing his forehead against Link’s. Link took a deep breath, relaxing his shoulders. All he could think about were the things Mark had told him. He decided that he was going to take Mark’s advice.

“Okay,” Link agreed. He stared down at his and Rhett’s hands together. Link had a question gnawing away at him as well. His anxiety was building up more about it, this minuscule little question, than it had been facing conflict. He had suspicions as to why. “Hey, Rhett?”

“Yeah?” Rhett returned instantly. Link talked himself up. This was going to be just about the last step in this affair.

“What… what are we?” His voice left him at the end. He would be shocked if Rhett had even heard him. He could feel Rhett start to slowly stroke the tops of his hands. _Don’t let it slip,_ Link reminded himself, trying not to allow himself to get too worked up.

“You’re my best friend, Link.” Rhett answered. Link could feel his heart drop. He immediately felt embarrassment, foolish even. Before Link completely felt his world come crashing down, Rhett picked it back up again. “But this is driving me crazy. I’d like to be more than that. I’ve wanted it since you came here. I just thought… maybe you…”

“I do. I definitely do.” Link cut off, leaning in and connected their lips without being prompted. After a moment, they retracted, but kept their foreheads pressed. “You act like I don’t think about New Years, or that I took all that hand holding for granted.”

“I was scared I was pushing it with prom, o-or graduation day…” Rhett confessed. Link had to laugh at that one, shaking his head lightly. 

“No. God, no.” Link reassured. “Rhett, it took me a long time to get to this point. It took me a long time to realise that we’re the only people that matter in this. I don’t care who knows.”

There was a pause as they looked up at each other and said in unison, “But not Dad.” They both laughed. At the same time, they looked off where the sun had set. Rhett tightened his grip on one of Link’s palms.

“We should get back soon, sugar.” he noted. Link nodded in agreement. He wanted to ask to stay out a little longer, but knew that Mama Di would start to worry, and there were still things to do back at home.

“Thank you, Rhett. For everything.” Link said, rotating his body forward again. Rhett copied this action and Link rested his head on Rhett’s shoulder.

“Thank you too.” Rhett returned, lightly. Link was simply happy to hear him finally at ease with things. He played with Rhett’s fingers, laced with his. “So, are we…?”

“Yeah. I-if that’s what you want,” Link answered, shyly laughing afterwards. He stole a glance up, just in time to see Rhett smile.

“Definitely.” Rhett said. Link exhaled and exhaled all of his stress with it. That was all he needed to hear.

It wasn’t long after that that they got up and started back to the old pickup. They swung their arms back and forth, Rhett’s tears dried, but Link could finally feel his start to come on. He smiled to himself, his heart swelling as he thought, _Thank you, Mark._ A breeze went through the air, caused the trees to whistle. Link could’ve swore that it was a sign from Mark.

While he climbed into the passenger side, he realised that life went on.


	29. xxix

The day of Link’s eighteenth birthday, Rhett’s pickup finally kicked the bucket. Originally, they were going to go into Atlanta to buy Link’s bus ticket to Fayetteville, but when they went to start it up, it did nothing. For the full morning, they messed around with it, trying to get it to start until Rhett finally gave it a hard kick in the tire and wept.

Instead, it was Mr. McLaughlin who drove Link into Atlanta. The only reason Link was sour was because not only did he not get extra alone time with Rhett, but Rhett didn’t even join them. He’d said he’d needed to stay back to help Mama Di with something. Link knew Rhett well enough that by this point, he knew Rhett wasn’t helping with anything, he was doing something secretive for Link. Rhett wasn’t very good at hiding things.

As Link stepped out at the bus stop, Link had full force flashbacks. The last time he was there, he still had his wings. He reached up and felt the sides of his hair. It was definitely scruffier than usual, as Mr. McLaughlin hadn’t pushed cutting it since prom. Link entertained the idea of letting his wings grow back.

Though it would have been far easier to purchase the tickets online, Link found that he was actually happy that they’d gone into Atlanta. It had been almost a year since he’d been so far from Macon and it felt great to be somewhere new. Slowly, it was starting to fully dawn on him that he had graduated, and was officially eighteen. He was an adult.

He was an adult.

Mr. McLaughlin held the door open for Link as they entered the bus station. A gust of cool air smacked them in the face as they stepped inside, not that either were going to complain. Anything that fought the humidity was welcomed with opened arms. Suddenly, anxiety dropped on him like an anchor. Link looked up at Mr. McLaughlin, slowing his pace in the slightest. This was his last chance. Mark’s words returned to him. He took a deep breath.

“Mr. McLaughlin,” he said, stopping in his step. Mr. McLaughlin stopped as well, looking back at Link. “I don’t want to go back to Buies Creek.”

Link was nervous of the reaction. Mr. McLaughlin stared at him for a long moment, processing what Link had just dropped on him. He blinked a couple times and swallowed, then reached up and took the hat from his head. He scratched his hair and nodded. “Where do you want to go?” he asked, playing with his hat. Link wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans.

“I-I can’t afford to go anywhere else but back there, I don’t… I can’t…” he babbled, about to open his mouth and continue before Mr. McLaughlin cut him off.

“Where do you want to go?” he repeated, his voice sincere. Link suddenly felt so silly. He pressed his lips together, looking around at the station before guiding Mr. McLaughlin over to one of the destination boards. After a moment of hesitation, he pointed up at one of the destinations, waited until Mr. McLaughlin read it. Mr. McLaughlin looked surprised, remained quiet for a few moments.

“May I help you?” the woman behind the counter asked kindly. Mr. McLaughlin gave her a lopsided smile, placing his hat back on his head to tip it to her.

“Just a moment, please.” he answered, guiding Link a couple steps back. Link blushed in embarrassment.

“I know it’s stupid, I-I just… someday, that’s where I wanna be, a-and--”

“If that’s where you wanna go, Link, then I’ll make sure you can get there.” Mr. McLaughlin interrupted. Link stared at him with big eyes. “We can stop somewhere and look online for apartments. I’ll help you get started out there.”

“Mr. McLaughlin, you don’t… you don’t have to do that for me. That’s so much money, this bus ticket is too much money as is, I-I’ll just figure… figure out something, I mean--” Link was hushed by Mr. McLaughlin. Mr. McLaughlin patted his shoulder.

“Link, you’re like a son to me. It’s nothing. You’ve earned this. You wanna go there, you’re gonna get there. Let’s get your ticket.” he insisted. Link stared at him in alarm before beginning to grin brightly. He nodded his head slowly, and Mr. McLaughlin patted his shoulder and cheerily guided him back over to the counter.

They’d started to listen to the first few songs of a Merle Haggard CD on the way back, until Link discovered a Lynyrd Skynyrd greatest hits CD. The last song they heard in the truck was Free Bird, and the entire time, Link thought to himself that, despite everything, Mr. McLaughlin was like a dad to him, too.

When he walked into the house, he went straight to the bedroom and set his ticket down on his nightstand. He took a glance around the room, smiling to himself. In two weeks, it would only be Rhett’s room again. Almost like Rhett had known he was being thought about, he walked into the room. Link looked up at him and forced himself to give a happy grin.

“Everything go okay?” Rhett asked as he walked over, grabbing Link’s hand. Link knew Rhett wasn’t as enthusiastic about the subject as he was letting on.

“Went great,” Link answered. He wasn’t as enthusiastic as he let on, either. It felt like all the dreams they’d talked about together were now fading away. Link didn’t know what the future held, but he was scared. He desperately wanted Rhett to be in it. Why were these things so hard?

“Go on out to the kitchen, honeypie. Mama wanted me to send you out that way,” Rhett instructed, winking at Link. Link lifted his brows, but didn’t question how fast Rhett had changed the subject. He was admittedly a little grateful for it. Had he have looked back before he left the room, he would’ve seen Rhett look at the ticket, and he would’ve seen the horrified expression on his face.

Upon arriving in the kitchen, he saw an ice cream cake sitting there on the table top. There were a few cards and an ugly painting of a cockatrice, but Link knew it was from Rhett and fell in love with it anyway. Mr. McLaughlin and Mama Di were already there, standing at the other side of the table. 

Link slowed his step, approaching the cake with eyes full of wonder. His eyes looked at the cards. There was one from Mr. McLaughlin, Mama Di, Rhett, Ro and Felix, and to Link’s surprise, Mark. All of this was more than he could’ve asked for. It felt like Christmas all over again.

Rhett came up behind him, placed his hands on his shoulders. “Happy birthday, Link,” he said warmly, helping Mama Di get the candles put on and light them up.

As the McLaughlin’s sang the birthday song to him, Link’s eyes stared hard at the flickering flames on the candles. He felt like it was only him and the cake in the room for a moment. It was a cake specifically for his purpose, for his birthday. The voices around him jumbled in his head, getting quieter and quieter until they were gone. His surroundings came back to him when he was prompted to make a wish, blow out his candles.

Mama Di set to cutting the cake not long after that. Link sat down in his usual spot, Rhett next to him. His first priority was to open his cards. He started with Mr. McLaughlin’s, deciding to leave Mark’s for last.

_Happy 18th, Link. I know things have been pretty rocky between us, but you’re part of the family to me now. Keep up the good work. - Dad McLaughlin_

It was enough to make Link smile. He started a pile of read cards and set it face down on his right, reaching with his left to take Mama Di’s card.

_Happy birthday, sugar! You’ve grown up so much since you first came out here and I’m so proud of you. You’re well on your way to becoming a wonderful young man. You can do whatever you set your mind to. Never forget that. Remember, “Those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter” ~Bernard Baruch. I love you! -Mama Di :)_

Link set the card face down on top of the other, sinking his teeth into his lower lip to suppress a large smile. Just then, Mama Di set his slice of cake in front of him, but he ignored it and reached for Ro and Felix’s card. Upon opening it, he found another $20. Ro’s writing came first.

_Hey Link! Congratulations on graduating; your speech really moved me! I’ve had yours and Rhett’s little graduation song stuck in my head for awhile now. I just wanted to let you know that in spite of everything negative that’s happened, thinking of yours and Rhett’s antics and rewatching your little “GMM Pilot Episode” has given me a reason to smile everyday. I do hope you’ll follow your dreams. I look forward to seeing where you’ll be in the future. Happy birthday! Love you! x -Ro_

_Here’s another $20. Do what you will with it. You can legally buy porn this time around, so there are options. Oh, congrats on graduating, by the way. You were pretty sexy in those robes. Anyway thanks for being one of my closest buddies, Link. I wanted to make sure and tell you that before I go back to Sweden, and I didn’t have a chance to other than in this card. It sucks that our last time seeing each other had to be at Mark’s funeral, but I’m glad I got to see you. Thanks for being there for me there, too. Also, tell Rhett to make that shit official between you two already! Jesus! Happy birthday bro. -Felix_

Link laughed as he usually did when he read notes from Felix. He could feel himself starting to tear up as he reached for Rhett’s card. He could feel Rhett’s expectant eyes upon him. Link scanned the card, immediately noticing the poorly drawn replica of Earth. There was an arrow pointing to it, and above it read the word ‘YOU’.

_So there are a trillion things I have to say, but I also have to make it fit on the inside of this birthday card. First I wanna say thank you for being my rock, Link, especially during the past few weeks. I’m sorry I’ve been a punkass. Looking back on it now I understand everything completely and it’s thanks to you, which kinda leads me into me saying how proud I am of you. You’ve really matured, and you never fail to amaze me with your brilliance, and your creativity. You’ve taught me more than high school did in the years I was in it, and we’ve only been reunited for such a short time. SHit I’m running out of space. Ignore the writing error, you know writing isn’t really my strong point. I need to work on making my handwriting smaller. At least I haven’t spelt words like “yore” like I did that one time. Oh thanks for never letting me live that down either. I have so much more to say, but we’ll get to that later. You’re the best boyfriend EVER (that’s still weird to get used to saying). I love you, Link. Happy birthday! Thanks for being my motivation to wake up in the mornings._

Link immediately turned his head and looked at Rhett with that expression of ‘I really want to kiss you but I also don’t want to put us in a risky position.’ Rhett grinned from ear to ear, understanding immediately. He affectionately grabbed Link’s shoulder, winking at him. “Happy birthday, man.” he said. 

“You too,” Link replied, only to blush in embarrassment and laugh at himself. He took the moment of the McLaughlin’s laughing to set Rhett’s card down and reach for Mark’s. His first thought was that he hoped nobody asked to read his cards after this, and the second was finally processing that he was holding a card from Mark. He opened it as slowly as possible. 

_Hello! It’s not even June yet, which I guess isn’t that big of a deal, because your birthday is exactly June 1st. But my point is, I’m writing this and it’s nowhere near close to June anyway, but I got you this card early anyway because I absolutely wanted to make sure I could tell you happy birthday. I don’t know when it’s gonna be time for me to go home, but I know it’s gonna be soon. Your graduation speech was PHENOMENAL. It had me laughing and crying the whole way through. I loved your song. You and Rhett are so talented. I really hope that you take my advice, Link. I know I’m probably not a crucial person in your life or whatever, but I really think you and Rhett need each other, and you deserve so much happiness in your life. Thank you for letting me confide my feelings to you, and for reassuring me I’m doing the right thing. I want you to do a couple things for me, if that’s okay? If I’m gone by the time you get this, I want you to kiss Ro on the cheek for me and tell her that I love her. I want you tell my dad, Dee, and Tom that I love them more than anything else in the world, and that I’m still with them, oh and also that Chica doesn’t like Alpo, she likes Purina. And if I’m gone by the time you get this, I don’t want you to be sad for me. I want you to live your life and I want you to smile when you think of me. I worked so hard to make sure I could play the trumpet for your graduation, and seeing the pride on your face was one of the best gifts to me in the world. I hope this card is one of the best gifts for you on your birthday. I love you, and Rhett, and Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin and Felix too. I love you all. Thank you for making my life special. Happy eighteenth birthday. You can legally play games online without parental permission. :) -Mark  
PS, can you and Rhett write a song for me?_

Link wiped the tears from his eyes as he finished reading through it all. He grinned to himself, nodding his head to himself and closing the card. He looked around at the McLaughlin’s. “Thank you for all of this. You r-really didn’t have to,” he stammered out. 

“Of course we had to. You’re part of the family, remember?” Mr. McLaughlin asked, smiling at him. Link laughed cheerily. He could feel Rhett softly press his palm against his thigh underneath the table. 

“I do.” Link answered, turning his head to look at Rhett. Rhett smirked at him. Link looked down at his stack of cards next to his ice cream cake. His heart fluttered. _Happy birthday, Link Neal,_ he thought. _You did it._


	30. xxx

They arrived in Atlanta at 5:25 in the morning, an hour before the bus left. Rhett brought his guitar along with, simply to sing with Link and pass the time as they waited. Someone had even tried to tip them when they sang Two Hearts.

This time around, it was much harder to stuff all of his things in nothing more than two suitcases and a carry-on. He not only had his book about mythical beasts in his carry-on, but his book about miniature horses and a recipe book Ro had made for him as well. He’d kissed her on the cheek before they parted.

Rhett and Link had been too scared to talk about it with each other. They avoided the subject, but now that they were sitting there at the bus station, looking for the sunrise, it couldn’t be avoided any longer.

Link realised that he didn’t remember a single detail of North Carolina, like he had tried to memorise when he left. His eyes scanned the Atlanta bus station, lit up by nothing more than dull yellow lights as a bus pulled away with its passengers. He tried to memorise it, but gave up with the thought that he would ultimately forget it anyway.

Rhett sadly strummed his guitar, looked at his watch. His heart sunk. Link had caught the glance, but decided not to comment. Rhett looked up at him. “So… Los Angeles, huh?” he finally mumbled. Link’s throat suddenly felt watery.

“Yeah,” he muttered. Mama Di wrapped her arm around him, gave his shoulders a squeeze. Rhett nodded his head slowly, his gaze catching Link’s.

“Ah,” Rhett returned, unable to find any other word. He set his guitar down, patted his pocket for something and bit his lip. Link quirked a brow, about to ask before he saw a bus pull into the station.

Link stood up with his carry-on, feeling as light as a feather. Passengers got off the bus, stretched their legs, immediately started to go into the building or taxis or whatever else. There were only about five other people that were going to Los Angeles, so he let them go ahead and put their baggage in before him. Mr. McLaughlin carried Link’s stuff over, helped get everything ready.

Mama Di got up and wrapped her arms tightly around Link, weeping lightly as she simply held him there for awhile. Link could feel tears stinging his eyes as well. Mama Di reached up and grabbed his face with both hands. “You have everything you need to get ahold of us, right?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said again, sniffling. Mama Di grinned, patting his cheek.

“You take good care of yourself, Link,” she said. “You know where we are if you need us. You’re always welcome back here. You be good. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mama Di.” Link choked out, finally starting to cry. He smiled in embarrassment, laughing softly. Mama Di reached up and wiped the tears from Link’s face, and Link bent down so she could kiss him on the forehead. By the time they parted, Mr. McLaughlin came back over. 

Link retracted from Mama Di and threw his arms around Mr. McLaughlin, holding him tightly. Mr. McLaughlin held him in return, patting his back. “I’m gonna miss you, Mr. McLaughlin,” Link cried, once again laughing weakly. Mr. McLaughlin did so as well.

“I’m gonna miss you too, kiddo,” he returned, voice light and breaking at the end. Other passengers began to board. Link pulled away from Mr. McLaughlin, reaching up to wipe his eyes. He turned to face Rhett. Rhett was standing there, dead silent, the expression on his face hard to read. Link slowly approached him and they wrapped their arms around each other.

“I love you.” Link whispered against Rhett’s chest, but Rhett didn’t respond. Link felt sick. He looked up at Rhett, only to find Rhett was already looking at him, but for once Link couldn’t decide what the hell it was that Rhett was feeling. Rhett nodded his head at him, forced a smile. They pulled away slowly, but Link thought that it was far too quickly.

“Go, Link. The bus is waiting.” Mama Di told him as she wiped her tears, grinning at him. Link looked back to the bus, lower lip trembling.

He followed her instruction, approaching the bus with his carry-on. He stepped up to the second step, then turned around to look at the McLaughlin’s. He had so much to say, but he’d run out of time to say it. Tears dripped down from his face and he gave them all one last smile. They had saved his life.

Before he got the chance to turn around and fully enter, Rhett began striding towards the bus as quickly as he could. “Link, wait,” he said frantically, placing a foot on the first step and grabbing one of Link’s arms tightly. Link stared at him like a deer caught in headlights.

“Rhett, what’re you doing?” he asked, heart racing a mile a minute. He could hear that Jolene song by Dolly Parton come on in the bus, playing softly, but the noise of the engine running drowned it out.

“Link, listen to me.” Rhett started, breathing heavily. “I never brought it up because I was waiting for you to bring it up, but I’m going to bring it up now, before it’s too late, because you can’t leave here without me, Link. You can't do this without me. Link, I'm in love with you. I’m so in love with you it hurts. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to wake up in the mornings with you, I want to sleep at night with you, I want to experience the world with you. Do you remember how we said we were going to make videos together? I meant it. I still mean it. I don’t even care if that’s what we do or not, I just need to be with you. I need you in my life. I can’t let the other half of my soul be taken away from me again like this.”

Link gaped at Rhett, grinning in disbelief. He could see Mama Di and Mr. McLaughlin giving Rhett the same expression of shock, but Mr. McLaughlin’s was mixed with horror. That still tickled Link pink.

“I know I’m just rambling on about the same thing over and over again, Link, but I love you. Goddamn do I love you. I can’t see my future without you in it, Link, without you by my side. I want to feel you in my arms every day. You drive me fuckin’ crazy, you know that? Sometimes we fight over stupid things every thirty minutes, other times we agree with everything, but I love it, I love that you make me feel things, all kinds of things, together, and the balance we have of it is healthy. We can talk it out. I have never been more sure about something in my life, I’ve never felt so strongly about something, and you know me, Link, you know how opinionated I am, but I am one hundred percent positive that we are meant to be together, Link. I'm desperately in love with you. You’re my best friend. You can’t leave to Los Angeles without me.” Rhett continued, voice shaking and hand squeezing Link tighter with every passing minute.

“Rhett, what about your stuff? Your clothes?” Link had to ask, almost too shocked to speak. His heart was swelled up with joy. Rhett’s eyes didn’t leave his once.

“I can get new stuff, I can send for my clothes, I don’t care. I don’t care what happens as long as I’m with you. No matter where life puts us, I’ll make it through it as long as we’re together. You’re one of the only things I need, Link. I’m ready to leave this life behind to be with you,” Rhett insisted. “Link, I have more or less $700 in my pocket right now. I-I made sure to bring it with me, in case I got the courage to do this, to tell you how I feel. Don’t leave here without me.”

Link couldn’t stop smiling. He nodded his head at Rhett, unable to find words to reply with. The bus driver was watching them in the doorway. “We have to go,” she said, leaning against the wheel. Link turned his head to look back at her, and Rhett looked past Link. Rhett stepped forward a little more.

“Ma’am, do you think we could have just five more minutes? Please?” he pleaded as nicely as possible. Link used his open hand to reach for Rhett’s in fear. The bus driver scanned them quickly. She smirked.

“All right, but make it quick. It’s going to be a long drive and we should get going soon.” she obliged, winking at them. Rhett and Link looked back to each other. Rhett released Link’s arm and his hand, stepping back down to the road.

“Wait here. Don’t let her leave. Do not let her leave,” he commanded as he moved backwards, then spun around and ran into the building. Link’s legs felt like they were about to give out. Mr. McLaughlin stepped forward, looking completely outraged.

“What in the hell is going on?” he shouted, and Mama Di grabbed his arm. Link looked directly at him, lips parted. He wasn’t going to let him ruin this moment for him. He could just stare at him, only to find that he was smugly smiling at him with the knowledge that there wasn’t a thing Mr. McLaughlin could do to stop this. Link wasn’t going to hurt anymore.

Rhett came sprinting back out with a bus ticket in hand, but before he could fully get to the bus, he stopped to grab his guitar. He looked back at his parents and grinned wildly at them, but Mama Di was the only one to smile widely back. “I love y’all,” Rhett called to them as he stepped closer to them bus. “I’ll call ya as soon as I can.”

“We love y’all too,” Mama Di called back, her voice still teary. Mr. McLaughlin started cursing, making empty threats as Rhett started to board the bus. Before he could get far, Link wrapped his free arm securely around Rhett and leaned in, kissed him hard.

“I never thought you would actually want to be with me,” Link confessed quietly, stepping all the way onto the bus. Rhett followed him, reached for his hand.

“Oh, no, Neal,” he scoffed. “You’re stuck with me now.”

The bus doors closed behind them. They smiled warmly at each other, and Link was no longer crying. He guided Rhett down the aisle, squeezing his hand like it was the only thing keeping him alive. Once they sat down in their seat, Link peered out the window and watched as the bus began to pull away. Mr. McLaughlin chased it for a moment, shouting things, but the bus didn’t stop. Stuck Like Glue by Sugarland came on.

Link returned his gaze to Rhett, then openly cuddled up with him. They shared a couple soft kisses, giggling together before they began excitedly discussing their future together. Link looked down at their hands, entwined together, and noted how nice a wedding band would look on his ring finger. He watched Rhett speak, beaming lovingly at him. The bus ride wouldn’t seem so long this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well folks, thats the last chapter. thank you all SO much for the love & support the past few months, and thank you even more for sticking along to the end of this wild ride. i really hope i could supply to you fine folks a wonderful tale about a boy, his friend, and growing up. i wouldnt have went through with this without you. i love you all. ill see you around for next time.


End file.
